By Norm Frauenheim

PHOENIX — Rafael Espinoza is in line for a possible shot at the Oscar Valdez-Emanuel Navarrete junior-lightweight winner if he beats Robeisy Ramirez in a featherweight rematch, one of two title rematches on the ESPN-televised card Saturday at Footprint Center.

There’s talk that Espinoza, unusually tall for a featherweight, is about to move up in weight, from 126 pounds to 130, if he again beats Ramirez, who lost a dramatic majority decision to Espinoza a year ago in Pembrook Pines, Fla.

The 6-foot-1 Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs), the World Boxing Organization’s featherweight champion, was at 125.7 pounds Friday at the official weigh-in. He was only a tenth-of-a-pound heavier than Ramirez (14-2, 9 KOs), but was five inches taller. At 30 years old, it looks as if Espinoza is ready to fight in a heavier division.

“Rumor is, he’ll go up,’’ Brad Goodman, of Top Rank, said.

First, however, he has to beat Ramirez, a Cuban who many thought won the first fight. Late Friday, Ramirez was a slight betting favorite.

There has been talk that Espinoza might move up to challenge Texan O’Shaquie Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s junior-lightweight champion. But Espinoza, who wore late Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela’s jersey to Friday’s weigh-in, in an all-Mexican fight against either Valdez or Navarrete for the WBO’s 130-pound title looks to be a more marketable match among Mexican and Mexican-American fans.

By Norm Frauenheim

It’s the first significant fight in a New Year. That’s mere coincidence, but it’s also appropriate.

David Benavidez-versus-David Morrell on February 1, formally announced this week, is all about timing, a theme sure to unfold as both fighters step into their respective primes in only their second fight at light-heavyweight.

In part, it’s a potential stage-setter, both for the sport and the 175-pound division. On the calendar, at least, it’s a chance to move beyond a dreary year, one that figures to be remembered mostly for the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fiasco. Maybe, the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury rematch on Dec. 21 changes all of that. We can hope. Make that pray.

At 175 pounds, it’a a chance for the Benavidez-Morrell winner at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena to move into a shot at perhaps the undisputed title against Artur Beterbiev, although even he is talking about Jake Paul.

Paul is calling himself the Face of the Game, mostly because he’s got the key to the vault. There’s speculation he might even coax Andre Ward out of retirement. Big money can do that, and that’s what Paul’s face brings to prize-fighting, more prize than fight these days. Forget the scars, skills and courage. Cash is the only feature that matters anymore. 

Even Saudi Prince Turki Al-Sheikh, who has brought even more cash into the sport, claimed to be the Face after his promotional role in a card featuring accomplished Terence Crawford’s debut victory at junior-middleweight in Los Angeles last summer. Apparently, Al-Sheikh forgot that Crawford had more rights to the Face than just about anybody. When reminded that the reigning Face has to risk that face in the ring, Al-Sheikh — to his credit — backed off.

Meanwhile, Paul’s face eluded most of Tyson’s punches. Then again, there weren’t many to elude. Eighteen landed, for a pathetic average of fewer than three per round over the eight-round farce last Friday in Arlington, Tex. More punches land in shadow boxing. 

It was sad because Tyson used to be The Face. But it’s unrecognizable anymore, bought off by anybody with only cash in his skill set.

Can it be restored? Hard to say. But it’s worth a try and maybe Benavidez-Morrell is a place to start.

Start over. 

I remember an exchange I had with Paul more than two years ago before he fought mixed-martial-arts legend Anderson Silva at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, AZ, just a few miles of roadwork from the mean streets where Benavidez grew up near downtown Phoenix.

At the news conference in October 2022, I welcomed Paul to Benavidez’ hometown. At the time, Paul was calling out Canelo Álvarez. He still is. So, I asked him if he wanted to fight Benavidez, too. Paul stopped, looked at me intensely and said: “I’m not ready for that.’’

It was an honest answer, a real moment in a business turning into a carnival, a Hall of Mirrors. Nobody knows what they’re looking at anymore. 

Last week, I had a theory that most in the crowd of 72,000 at AT&T Stadium and a Netflix audience — estimated at 75 million viewers, worldwide — would not know that Usyk and Fury are fighting a rematch for the undisputed heavyweight title next month. Wouldn’t care either. Now, I’m not even sure many would know who Usyk or Fury are. 

To them, the craft is no longer the attraction. Only $pectacle is. They got one, but now there are weird, wild conspiracy theories. $pectacle and conspiracy go together like show and business. 

At last report, a class-action lawsuit has been filed by fans unhappy at Netflix’s production of the event. No word on whether they’re unhappy at themselves from buying into the hype.

The Sweet Science?

Nothing Sweet or Scientific about it.

From this corner, the formal announcement of the Benavidez-Morrell date in the aftermath of Tyson-Paul was a relief. It’s something real, old-school and fundamental in a world gone awry. 

Maybe, I’m expecting too much from Benavidez and Morrell. But all of the time-honored elements are there for a real fight. A memorable one, too. Nobody 58-years-old will be answering an opening bell. Benavidez is 27. He’ll be 28 on Dec. 18. Morrell is 26. He’ll be 27 on Jan. 17. They’re both unbeaten — Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) and Morrell (11-0, 9 KOs).

They’re the face of the future. 

For now, that’s the only face we’ve got.

NOTES

Jesus Ramos Jr., a promising junior-middleweight from Casa Grande AZ, will fight on the Benavidez-Morrell undercard. The 23-year-old Ramos was last seen in the corner for his brother Abel in his spirited draw with welterweight champion Mario Barrios on the Paul-Tyson undercard. Jesus Ramos (21-1, 17 KOs) will fight former champion Jeison Rosario (29-4-2, 17 KOs). “I’ve learned my lesson about leaving things up to the judges,’’ Ramos said during a news conference this week in Los Angeles. “I can’t do that anymore. I’m coming to knock him out.”

Emanuel Navarrete is a slight favorite to again beat Oscar Valdez in their junior-lightweight rematch Dec. 7 at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix. Navarrete is coming off a disappointing performance at a new weight, a split-decision loss at lightweight to Denys Berinychk. Meanwhile, Valdez was impressive in a stoppage of Aussie Liam Wilson, who many believe got robbed of victory over Navarrete in a controversial bout, also in Arizona in 2023. Navarrete is talented, yet erratic. Meanwhile, consistency defines Valdez, whose seemingly inexhaustible resilience continues to make him dangerous.

I’ve already said this on other platforms and I’ll say it again: Tyson-Paul generated real numbers. Real money, too. Here’s a real question: Why was Tyson licensed? In a post after the bout, he talked about dying, saying that he underwent transfusions for excessive bleeding in May from an ulcer that postponed the bout. Yet, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses him anyway? Texas regulators must have known about Tyson’s condition. He talked about it in ominous detail in a story published by New York Magazine before opening bell. Did Texas listen, decide he was exaggerating and license him anyway? If so, we’re fortunate we witnessed only an embarrassment. 

By Norm Frauenheim –

Mike Tyson has been making a fool out of himself and just about everybody around him for decades. Maybe, he’ll do it again, making a fool out of Jake Paul and the rest of us who believe he shouldn’t be in a traditional boxing ring against anybody anywhere.

Any more.

But, of course, he will be Friday night on the Cowboys home field in Texas in front of an expected crowd of 80,000 and who-knows-how-many from Netflix’s subscriber population of 287.2 million, millions more than the nearly 150 million who voted in the recent presidential election. 

Don’t call it a fight, although the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation elected to do so, but only after adding four ounces to the usual 10-ounce gloves while reducing the number of scheduled rounds from 10 to eight and subtracting a minute from each round, from three to two.

Texas, like Netflix, knows a money-maker when it sees one. In this transactional era, traditional rules and regs are just some of the numbers that can be adjusted if the projected financials are big enough. They are. 

Reportedly, Paul will walk away with $40-million, a purse that might make the accomplished Canelo Alvarez — the only traditional boxer left among the wealthy athletes near the top of Forbes’ annual rating — wonder if he’s in the wrong game.

But Tyson-Paul isn’t about boxing, although boxing surely wishes it was. Does anybody in the Tyson-Paul audience plan to watch the Oleksandr Usyk-Tyson Fury heavyweight rematch next month? Guess here: Very few. Truth is, very few probably even know it’s happening.

Usyk-Fury is a real fight. It’s intriguing, but only for a shrinking demographic that still enjoys a craft historically defined as The Sweet Science. Nothing about the 58-year-old Tyson versus a 27-year-old Paul figures to be sweet or scientific.

It’s spectacle, a Tyson speciality. It also happens to be the only thing about Tyson that hasn’t eroded over the decades. He’s feared for his punching power, and perhaps some of that is still there. It’s the last thing to go. 

But the real power, the most durable element in Tyson’s skillset — is his ongoing ability to create the kind of anticipation that precedes a spectacle and sometimes an accident. A crowd will gather for both. 

Tyson’s career as an active fighter is remembered more for what happened in defeat than victory. The infamous Bite Fight — Evander Holyfield lost part of his ear and won the fight in a DQ — defines him. It shut down the MGM Grand and the city of Las Vegas on a hot night in June 1997. 

Cabbies still driving Vegas streets tell stories about it to this day. Meanwhile, Holyfield, one of history’s great heavyweight champions, occupied an almost forgotten role in one of boxing’s most unforgettable moments, infamous because of Tyson and the genuine unpredictability he brings to any event.

Then.

And now.

Twenty-seven years later, that unpredictability is still centered around Tyson. He’ll be 60 in a couple of years. Texas regulators and Netflix can alter the length of rounds and the amount of padding in the gloves. It can tamper with a lot of the numbers. But not that one. 

Father Time doesn’t negotiate. 

On the scale Thursday, Tyson, reported to be at 233 pounds, looked good, especially for a man moving from middle age into old age. Some of the photos posted on social media included one word: SCARY.

Yeah, scary for him.

I’ve been asked to pick the fight. The sure winner, of course, is Netflix. But there’s another pick, really more of a hope. Here’s hoping Tyson emerges unhurt. Guess is, he will. For all of his trash-talk, Paul, reported to be at 220 pounds, is smart enough to know that his fellow Millennials in the crowd and audience are cheering for Tyson. 

They remember him like kids remember their favorite comic-book SuperHeros. They never get old. But Tyson has. 

Father Time beats us all, perhaps because of an unforeseen injury or just because of exhaustion, or an erosion in reflexes, or some problematic pre-condition. Remember, this fight was postponed in May because of an ulcer, which Tyson said was bleeding. Tyson told New York Magazine that he was spitting up blood. He was quoted as saying: “I said to the doctor: ‘Am I going to die?’ ‘’

Scary.

A hint at what might happen, perhaps, comes from his greatest rival, Holyfield. 

Twenty-four years after The Bite Fight, a 58-year-old Holyfield lost to a mix-martial-arts fighter, Vitor Belfort, who agreed to do an exhibition just eight days before the show in 2021. 

Within two minutes of opening bell, Holyfield went down, falling to the canvas in a chaotic crash of uncoordinated legs and limbs. Holyfield got up, but without any of the instinctive reflexes he possessed a couple of decades earlier. They were gone, washed away by the years. He was finished at 1:49 of the first round. It was sad, yet inevitable.

Then. 

And probably now.

By Norm Frauenheim

He’s a little guy about to embark on a second chapter, also a significant one with the potential to be the biggest in the history of fighters at the bottom — the forgotten — end of boxing’s scale.

Jesse Rodriguez’ emergence over the last year is impossible to ignore. His popularity, perhaps, is best defined by his nickname. Bam, it’s simple, descriptive and easy to remember in just about any language. Bam, it could be in a super-hero cartoon or a TV ad for some new household product. But these days it sums up a fighter whose dynamic skillset can put some rare bam into a sport in desperate need of some.

Increasingly, today’s boxing is about fights that don’t happen. Anyone interested in more exasperating speculation about Canelo Alvarez-versus-David Benavidez or Canelo-versus-Terence Crawford? Didn’t think so. Anybody interested in more dreary news about the IBF, Irrelevant Boxing Federation, stripping another fighter of another title? Didn’t think so.

There have been lots of headlines this week, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s iconic stoppage of George Foreman in then Zaire. The stories are terrific. But, mostly, they fill a void. Nostalgia is about all boxing has these days. 

Baseball celebrated its rich history this week  with another compelling World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees while boxing remembers its colorful past while wondering whether there’s much of a future.

Increasingly, I fear, boxing’s biggest moments will be the circus-like exhibition that we’re about to witness in the 57-year-old Mike Tyson against the 27-year-old Jake Paul. A big crowd figures to gather November 15 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Tex. A big Netflix audience is likely. 

But they’ll be watching for the same reason people stop to watch a car wreck. In Tyson-Paul, there’s a chance an accident is about to happen.

It’s a dreary landscape, mostly devoid of promise. But there is Rodriguez, unbeaten (20-0, 13 KOs) and a reason for optimism. He just renewed his deal with Matchroom, the opening step in the 115-pound fighter’s move up the pound-for-pound scale. 

Next up: A date against a so-called mandatory challenger, Mexican Pedro Guevara (42-4-1, 22 KOs) on Nov. 9 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on a card featuring welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis against Karen Chukhadzhian.

Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn added Bam to the card after hearing complaints about Chukhadzhian in a rematch. Ennis scored a one-sided decision — 120-108 on all three scorecards —over the Ukrainian in January 2023.

Hearn countered the complaints with his newly-minted star, Rodriguez, a small fighter who figures to be a big draw for Philly’s Puerto Rican audience. In part, the Philadelphia fight is a chance for Rodriguez to further affirm the stardom he established in entertaining fights in Phoenix, the best market for little guys in the United States since Hall of Fame junior-flyweight Michael Carbajal’s memorable run in the 1990s.

The milestone moment was Rodriguez’ masterful seventh-round stoppage of Juan Francisco Estrada last June in front of a roaring crowd of about 10,000 at Footprint Center, the Suns home arena in downtown Phoenix. It was a Super Fly fight that included power — three knockdowns — two by Bam and one by Estrada. Mostly, however, it was an almost artful exhibition of boxing skill from both. 

If boxing passed out an award for Most Skillful Fight Of the Year, Rodriguez-Estrada would be this corner’s choice with light-heavyweight Artur Beterbiev’s majority decision over Dmitry Bivol on Oct. 14 in Saudi Arabia a close second. Rodriguez-Estrada was fought at the craft’s highest level.

Initially, the proud Estrada talked about a rematch. After thinking about it, however, he decided no and announced he would move up in weight. In effect, it was an affirmation of just how good Rodriguez is. 

And will be. 

The best guess is that Rodriguez will beat Guevara, a 35-year-old former champion who is perhaps best known for beating former featherweight and junior-lightweight champion Oscar Valdez Jr. as an amateur.

Then, there’s a move to unify the 115-pound title. For now, it’s not clear where that takes him. There had been talk about a fight with the winner of a projected rematch between Kazuko Ioka and Fernando Martinez, an Argentine who scored a decision over Ioka in Japan in July. 

There have confusing reports this week about whether the Irrelevant Boxing Federation had stripped Martinez of its 115-pound title. At last report, the acronym said Martinez had relinquished the belt because he wanted to proceed with the Ioka rematch instead of a so-called mandatory. I don’t know. I don’t care.

The only significant scenario here is a path for Rodriguez to secure a shot at another belt — against Ioka or Martinez or whoever — in an effort to unify one title in perhaps another step toward Naoya Inoue, maybe the most popular Japanese athlete not named Shohei Ohtani. 

For now, Rodriguez-versus-Inoue is a dream fight. Inoue, a former junior-flyweight champion, is currently fighting at junior-featherweight, 122 pounds. There’s been talk about him at featherweight, 126. Weight might be a hurdle, although  the 24-year-old Rodriguez is expected to mature. His body type suggests he can carry more weight. 

There’s also Junto Nakatani. Nakatani, unbeaten with dangerous power, is fighting at bantamweight. He looms as the most immediate threat to Inoue’s Japanese reign.

Still, Rodriguez-versus-Inoue — a cross-cultural, world-wide clash between a Mexican-American and a Japanese star — is still the Dream.

Boxing needs one. 

By Norm Frauenheim

An old line is as current as ever this week because of the acronyms, which continue to prove that the only thing killing boxing is boxing itself.

The IBF is redefining itself. Call it the Irrelevant Boxing Federation. The latest move dropped Thursday with news that defies common sense. Business sense, too. Then again, the IBF is in the business of collecting sanctioning fees.  But there won’t be too many more of those if the IBF continues to make baffling moves that can only shove the acronym into further obscurity.

The latest: A threat to strip Artur Beterbiev of the IBF piece of the light-heavyweight title within a week after he retained it, two other belts and added a fourth in a controversial scorecard decision over Dmitry Bivol in Riyadh. 

You didn’t have to watch the fight to know that a rematch had to be next. I didn’t watch because of another acronym, DAZN, which advertised that the undercard’s live stream would be free in the US and Canada, yet then charged $19.99. Frustrated, I just decided to say no. It was just the latest example of how boxing conducts itself. Only in boxing can a circular firing squad become a business agenda.

According to many accounts in the post-fight scuffle on social media, Bivol got robbed. Maybe. Maybe not. However, at least one of the scorecards in the majority decision says that Bivol did enough to get a rematch. One judge scored it a draw, 114-114. The other two cards favored Beterbiev, 115-113 and 116-112, a score that managed to generate a lot of the outrage. 

Whatever you think, the fight and subsequent debate left a question. The only way to get an answer is with a rematch. For a few days, at least, that seemed to be what everyone wanted.

Beterbiev, who says little, said enough to indicate he’s willing.

With Bivol and his corner, there was never much doubt. Many in the Bivol corner were shouting robbery. An attorney for Bivol petitioned the acronyms Wednesday, asking for a rematch. 

For once, there seemed to be some consensus. But — surprise, surprise — it didn’t last. The familiar chaos was back with news from the IBF that it would order Beterbiev to fight somebody named Michael Eifert. It could have ordered him to fight the Eiffel Tower for all that it mattered. Does anybody know who Michael Eifert is? Didn’t think so.

Then again, does anybody know William Scull? He’s a good name for Halloween, but as a champion, or challenger he is as unknown as Eifert (13-1, 5 KOs), an IBF challenger living in Germany who is best known for scoring a decision over a faded Jean Pascal in March 2023. 

By coincidence, perhaps, Scull (22-0, 9 KOs), a Cuban also living in Germany, fights for the first time Saturday since the IBF elevated him to the top of super-middleweight ratings after stripping Canelo Álvarez of its 168-pound belt. 

Scull fights for Canelo’s former piece of the undisputed title against an unbeaten Russian named Vladimir Shishkin, (16-0, 10 KOs) in Falkensee, a town west of Berlin. Will anybody see it? Put it this way: There won’t be any speculative stories about the pay-per-view count. No television or streaming is planned.

In effect, the IBF stripped Canelo of the belt and itself of his drawing power. The numbers are smaller, but the IBF could be taking a similar step in a baffling move, a so-called order that Beterbiev fight an unknown or risk losing his 175-pound belt. 

Common sense dictates that the IBF — or any other acronym arrogant enough to issue orders, designate mandatories and call itself a ruling body  — threatens to strip Beterbiev of only if he declines to do an immediate rematch.

Anything else is a down payment on irrelevancy.

NOTES

Speaking of rematches, a couple of them were formally announced this week. Top Rank will stage Emanuel Navarrete-versus-Oscar Valdez Dec. 7 in Phoenix in a rematch of Navarrete’s punishing decision over Valdez in a dramatic junior-lightweight title bout August, 2023 at Glendale’s Desert Diamond Arena. 

The card, aptly called Scores 2 Settle, will also include Rafael Espinoza versus Robeisy Ramirez in a featherweight rematch of Espinoza’s majority-decision victory in December.

The ESPN card has been in the news for months. The only difference will be the site. Initially, it was believed that Navarrete-Valdez would go back to Glendale. But it was announced this week that they’ll do the sequel at Footprint Center, the NBA Suns home in downtown Phoenix. 

By Norm Frauenheim

Power and perfection define Artur Beterbiev. Truth is, that’s about all we really know about him. The two elements are linked like numbers in an astonishingly simple equation, a record that says a lot about him and perhaps says everything he wants to say about himself.

Twenty fights, twenty victories, twenty knockouts. 

Challenge that one at your own peril. Dmitry Bivol (23-0, 12 KOs) will, of course, Saturday (main event, DAZN/ESPN+, 6 pm ET) in Saudi Arabia in a light-heavyweight fight as significant as any in the division since the first Andre Ward-Sergey Kovalev bout eight years ago.

Yet, Ward-Kovalev 1, marketed as Pound For Pound, was different on so many other levels. Mostly, there was personal enmity, even before Ward won a hotly-debated decision — 114-113 on all three cards — over Kovalev in November 2016. 

It was as controversial as any over the last decade. But the controversy was fitting. Ward and Kovalev didn’t like each other. Actually, like is a polite way of describing it. But it is a four-letter word. 

The hostility, marked by equal amounts of contempt and abundant suspicion, helped make the fight marketable. Seven months later, it also spawned a rematch, which ended with Ward winning an eighth-round TKO in a sequel as forgettable as the first was memorable.

On the insult scale, Beterbiev-Bivol isn’t even close, although Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn tried to change that this week. First, Hearn insulted Beterbiev, calling him “arrogant.’’

At an earlier newser, Hearn told TNT Sports, “Beterbiev said about three words, I found it quite arrogant.”

Beterbiev, Hearn then added, limited his answers to the media to about one word.

“I think he just went ‘good,’ ‘’ Hearn said. “You’re getting paid an absolute fortune, the entire world’s media here, you owe us a little bit more than that. He couldn’t care less. In a way I respect it, but in a way, I think it’s a little disrespectful.”

At the final newser Thursday in Riyadh, Hearn continued the theme, all in an apparent attempt to break through Beterbiev’s taciturn defense.

For a moment, it looked as if Hearn was getting through.

Beterbiev looked at Hearn and said during the live-streamed newser:

“You talk a lot.”

Hearn’s quick counter:

 “It’s my job. You should try it.”

End of conversation. 

It wasn’t surprising. Statues are more quotable than Beterbiev. But we knew that. He’s memorable more for how he fights than anything he’s ever said. But here’s another number: 39. He’s within four months of turning 40. That includes recent injuries. A knee injury forced Beterbiev to postpone the original date with Bivol, June 1.

He’s beyond prime time, and time might be the only thing that can undo his reign of perfection. He’s the favorite to leave Riyadh with the undisputed light-heavyweight title. Then, it’s back to Montreal and quiet anonymity. 

However, there’s a sense that Father Time’s arrival at Beterbiev’s doorstep will come in the form of the 33-year-old Bivol, a fellow Russian who is given a real chance at an upset in a fight noteworthy for how it sets up the 175-pound division.

It was announced this week that David Benavidez, a Phoenix-born fighter, and David Morrell, a Cuban living in Minnesota, have agreed to fight. When and where, however, aren’t certain. January 25 or a date in February are mentioned. But time and place are subject to what happens in Riyadh. 

Benavidez holds an interim belt at 175 pounds, which makes him a mandatory challenger — whatever that means — for the Beterbiev-Bivol winner. Benavidez would have to beat Morrell to keep his place in line. 

Then again, Canelo Alvarez could always cut in line. Canelo, who Benavidez has been been pursuing for years, began talking about Bivol in September, before and after his one-sided decision over Edgar Berlanga in a solid defense of the undisputed title at 168 pounds. Bivol beat Canelo a couple of years ago.

The potential scenarios provide several talking points for what Beterbiev-Bivol means. One Example: Beterbiev, still aggressive and powerful at 39, beats Bivol with a stoppage, another notch in his perfect record. Then, Benavidez beats Morrell with his trademark energy and volume punching. Next, Beterbiev-Benavidez, a fight with the kind of fireworks that could ignite a classic. It would be an instant talker, which for now Beterbiev-Bivol is not.

Even Bivol, a pragmatic and patient tactician,  is careful not to speculate about anything beyond Saturday. Beterbiev, of all people, spoke for both of them Thursday.

“It’s not my business,’’ he said when asked for his thoughts about possibilities beyond Bivol.  “I have a fight this Saturday. I’m only focused on this fight.”

A fight that’s bound to generate lots of talk, no matter what anybody says.

Or doesn’t say.

Daniel DuBois retained the IBF Heavyweight Title with a stunning fifth round stoppage over former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in front of 96,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium in London.

Im round one, DuBois foreshadowed of things to come as he landed a perfect right to the jaw that put Joshua down. At the end of round three, DuBois landd a left hand that buckled Joshua bacly into the ropes. DuBois followed up with three more had punches that put Joshua on the deck just before the bell sounded to end the round. In the beginning of round four, DuBois sent Joshua down again when he landed the first right hand of the round that put Joshua down again.

In round five, Dubois landed a perfect right to the jaw that plummeted Joshua on the canvas and the fight was halted at 59 seconds.

DuBois is now 22-2 with 21 knockouts. Joshua is 28-4.

Sheeraz Stops Denny in 2

Hamzah Sheeraz took out Tyler Denny in round two of their 12-round middleweight fight.

In round two, Sheeraz landed a big shot to the temple that put Denny down. Denny got to his feet but the feet was waved off at 2:05

Sheeraz, 196.6 lbs is 21-0 with 17 knockouts. Denny, 159.9 lbs is 19-3.

Buatsi Drops Hutchinson Twice; wins Split Decision and Captures Interim Light Heavy Title

Joshua Buatsi won the WBA Interim Light Heavyweight Title with a 12-round split decision over Willy Hutchinson.

In round five, Buatsi was cut around the right eye from a headbutt. At the end of round six, Buatsi hurt Hutchinson with a hard right that was followed up by a flurry and and then finished off by a right to the body that put Hutchinson on the deck.

Hutchinson had a good round seven, but it was marred by having a point deducted for leading with his head. Later in the round, he was cut over his left eye. In round nine, Buatsi dropped Hutchinson again with a little inside left to the body.

Buatsi landed 264 of 600 punches. Hutchinson was 209 of 556.

Buatsi won by scores of 117-110 and 115-110. A third card was out of wack and gave it to Hutchinson 113-112.

Buatsi, 174.7 lbs of London is now 19-0. Hutchinson, 174.9 lbs of Carstairs, Scotland is 18-2.

Anthony Cacace Decisions Josh Warrington

IBF Super Featherweight champion Anthony Cacace defended his crown in a non-title bout over former featherweight champion Josh Warrington via 12-round unanimous decision.

Cacace landed 127 of 452 punches. Warrington was 107 of 395.

Cacace, 129.8 lbs of Belfast, NI won by scofres of 118-110 and 117-111 twice and is now 23-1. Warrington, 129.8 lbs of Leeds, ENG is 31-4-1.

Josh Kelly Decisions Ishmael Davis

Josh Kelly won a 12-round majority decision over late-replacement Ishmael Davis in a middleweight fight.

Despite being cut over his eft eye in round 11, Kelly won by scores of 115-113, 115-114 and 114-114.

Kelly landed 97 of 331 punches. Davis was 84 of 338.

Kelly, 159.1 lbs of Sunderland, ENG is 16-1-1. Davis, 159.7 lbs of Leeds, ENG is 13-1.

Padley Decisions Chamberlain

Big underdog Josh Padley scored a big upset by scoring a 10-round unanimous decision over hot-prospect Mark Chamberlain in a super lightweight bout.

In round three, Chamberlain was cut around the right eye which was caused by an accidental headbutt. In round four, Chamberlain had another cut opened up around the same eye.

In round eight, Chamberlain landed a big uppercut that was followed by a left hook to the jaw that put Chamberlain on the canvas.

Padley landed 85 of 250 punches. Chamberlain was 80 of 351.

Padley, 139.6 lbs of Dorncaster, ENG won by scores of 96-92 twice and 95-93 and is now 15-0. Chamberlain, 139.9 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 16-1.

By Norm Frauenheim (Ringside)

LAS VEGAS –On the scorecards, there was no upset.

But in the court of public opinion, there was a big one.

From pillar to post — sports book to social media, Edgar Berlanga had been mocked, dismissed and damned. The consensus was that Berlanga had no chance against Canelo Alvarez.

But Berlanga was there in the twelfth and final round, trading punches and more than a few words in a pay-per-view fight Saturday night in front of an announced crowd of 20,312 at T-Mobile Arena. Berlanga went the distance. Before opening bell, his chances at that were about as good as the Chicago White Sox winning the World Series.

At 27, Berlanga (22-1, 17 KOs) managed to surprise Canelo (62-2-2, 39 KOs), who promised a knockout before the eighth round. Early on, however, Berlanga displayed something Canelo didn’t expect. The younger man was– is –durable. Above all, he can take a punch.

In the third round, Canelo landed his best, a counter left that has stopped so many other Canelo challengers. It dropped Berlanga, flat on his rear end. But Berlanga did what so many have failed to do. He got up.

Canelo attacked, almost in a desperate pursuit to end it, then and there. But Berlanga had the presence of mind to elude those assaults and then to attack in his own right.

In the end, Canelo, still the unified super-middleweight champion, walked away with a solid decision, 118-109 on two cards and 117-110 on the third. But he didn’t fulfill his promised knockout, which means he didn’t dispel questions about how he’d do against David Benavidez or Terence Crawford. More on them later.

“No, I did good,” he said to a roaring crowd of Mexican partisans.. “Now, what are they going to say.”

There will be doubts. That’s a safe bet. He hasn’t scored a knockout in almost three years. Canelo has his critics and they will be out in force after going the distance against the underrated Puerto Rican. Canelo seemed to know that. Still, his confidence remains unshaken.

“I’m the best fighter in the world,” he said.

Dispute that claim, and many will.  But his dominance at the box office remains unchallenged. He jammed T-Mobile with a crowd that was called a sellout. This side of Japan’s Naoya Inoue, what other boxer in the world can do that these days? Dumb question.

Boxing has its own way of saying: Follow The Money. Follow Canelo. That won’t change, tomorrow or until he retires, perhaps when the 34-year-old fighter turns 37..

But his challengers are younger and only getting better. Berlanga was evidence of that.

“I’m upset because at the end of the day I’m a winner,” Berlanga said.

He was Saturday and he will be again.

Meanwhile, questions about Canelo’s future remain unanswered Crawford at a 168 pounds? Benavidez?

“I”m going to rest and then I’m going to decide what’s next,” he said.

Garcia takes knee, Lara retains title

Danny Garcia apologized.

But an angry crowd booed.

Forget apologies, a near capacity crowd at T-Mobile Arena wanted a fight and it didn’t get one in an advertised middleweight title fight between Garcia and a defending belt-holder, 41-year-old Erislandy Lara Saturday night in the final bout before the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga main event.

Garcia, a former junior-welterweight and welterweight champion fighting at 160 pounds for the first time, took a knee in the final second of the ninth round and then surrendered on his stool seconds before the 10th.

“I’m sorry,” Garcia (37-4, 21 KOs) said. “I tried. You can’t succeed if you don’t try.”

Garcia wasn’t able to do much of anything against the middle-aged Lara (31-3-3, 18 KOs), who claims to be the oldest champion in Cuban history.

Presumably, Lara will schedule a few more title defenses. He’ll be 42 in April. It wasn’t clear what Garcia or his volatile father trainer Angel will do next. But the boos included an unmistakable message:

Retire.

Caleb Plant stops McCumby for TKO win

Caleb Plant and Trevor McCumby exchanged insults. They mocked each other in word and gesture. But this was no clown show.

Not in the end.

Plant and McCumby settled their difference along the ropes, boxing’s trenches where blood and bruises are more decisive than words can ever be.. That’s where Plant was at his brutal best. That’s also where he won, pounding McCumby with an avalanche of punches that rained off him from round to round.

At 2:59 of the ninth round of the  contentious super-middleweight fight on the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga card at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, it was over. That’s when the referee stepped in and halted the brawl.

Plant (23-2, 14 KOs) was the TKO winner, leaving McCumby, a former prospect, to ponder what he’ll do next after his first loss, yet only his fourth fight since 2018 .

McCumby (28-1, 21 KOs), a Chicago native now living in Glendale AZ, scored a knockdown in the fourth, although it looked as if a push instead of a punch sent Plant backpedaling into the ropes onto the canvas. McCumby danced after that one. He shook his hips at Plant.

As it turned out, however, Plant was just warming up. He began to pin McCumby on the ropes, punishing him with successive blows from the fifth until the inevitable end. 

“It was a pretty tough fight,” Plant, a former super middleweight champion, said.  “I was just easing in. I proved that I can fight on the inside tonight and I did what I had to do.

“He caught me pulling out and hit me in the shoulder, but that’s part of the game. He came in with wild punches and I just had to stay focused. That’s what champions do..”

Romero wins one-sided decision, hopes for title shot

Rollie Romero wanted a steppingstone.

He got one, scoring a unanimous decision over Manuel Jaimes in junior-welterweight bout Saturday on the Canelo-Bernlanga card at Mobile Arena Saturday night. 

“I needed a tough 10-round fight against someone hungry and that’s what I got tonight,” Romero (16-3, 13 KOs), a Las Vegas fighter said. “I was doing a lot of stuff tonight that I should have done in my earlier fights.

“Jaimes was coming forward a lot, but I was controlling the pace. The fight was going how I wanted it to. In the later rounds I started coming forward more and landing more body shots. 

“Hopefully I’m fighting for a title next.

“I have my eye on any of the champions.”

Jaimes (16-2-1, 11 KOs), of Stockton CA, simply couldn’t keep up with Romero, who simply outworked him.

“The judges saw what they saw”  he said.  “I’d have to watch the tape to be able to score it myself. I could have been more active, that would have helped me land more.”

Fulton scores controversial decision over Carlos Castro

Carlos Castro got the knockdown.

Got the loss, too.

For Stephen Fulton, there were boos. 

“A shout out to the boos,” Fulton said.

Fulton accepted the booing, because he got the win too, a controversial split decision Saturday over Castro, a resilient Phoenix featherweight whose bid for a significant upset was denied by some debatable scoring.

Lisa Giampa had it 95-94, for Castro. On David Sutherland’s card, it was 96-93 for Fulton. On Don Trella’s card, it 95-94, also for Fulton

Castro (30-3, 14 KOs), a skilled boxer, pursued Flulton early and often with a slick mix of head shots and body punches. The early attack seemed to surprise Fulton (22-1, 8 KOs), who hadn’t fought since getting knocked out by pound-for-pound front-runner Naoya Inoue in Tokyo in July 2023.

There were moments when it looked as if Fulton underestimated Castro, especially his power. In the fifth, however, Castro delivered an overhand right that stunned Fulton. It also might have awakened Fulton to a threat he might not have foreseen in his first fight in more than a year. 

It knocked him down. 

For the next couple of rounds, Fulton was cautious. And Castro was aggressive. moving forward with quick hands to the body and head. In the seventh and eighth, a still-arriving crowd for the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga main event began to chant:

“Castro, Castro.”

By then, Fulton had begun to rally. landing repeated head shots, all powered by the realization that the fight was up for grabs.

Again in the ninth and the 10th, it looked as if Castro had begun to tire. Yet, he answered Fulton’s punches with some of his own, especially in the fight’s final, furious seconds.

“Castro, Castro,” the crowd chanted.

Apparently, Sutherland and Trella didn’t hear them

Boom, one big counter from Ricardo Salas scores a stoppage

One counter was enough.

Ricardo Salas, a Mexico City welterweight, threw it.

It floored Venezuelan Roiman Villa, draining him of any motivation to continue. He stayed down, wiping blood away from a wound beneath one eye and waving one hand in apparent surrender midway through the third round.

Salas (20-2-2, 15 KOs) threw it – a straight right hand, — just as Villa (26-3, 24 KOs) missed wildly with a lunging punch. Sala followed with a glancing left. But the counter did the job, finishing Villa at 2:06 of the third. 

Eddy Reynoso-trained Goe Lopez wins decision

Geo Lopez had power, hand speed and quick feet.

Only a stoppage was missing.

It eluded Lopez (17-0, 12 KOs), a junior lightweight from Orlando,  in the eighth and furious final round Saturday. A powerful left hand sent Ricky Mediana down and tumbling onto the canvas. 

Somehow, however, Medina (15-3, 8 KOs) scrambled to his feet. He survived. But Lopez , who had Canelo trainer Eddy Reynoso in his corner, won, scoring a one-sided decision Saturday on the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga card at T-Mobile Arena

Canelo-Berlanga Undercard: Middleweight suffers scary KO

Three fights, three second-round stoppages.

But this one was devastating, momentarily scary.

Cuban middleweight Yoenli Feliciano Hernandez‘ perfect record (5-0, 5 KOs) suggests world-class power. It was more than just a suggestion Saturday in the third fight on a card featuring Canelo Alvarez-versus-Edgar Berlanga Saturday at Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Hernandez’ power put Jose Sanchez Charles down, flat on his face midway at 1:47 of the second. Charles (21-6-1, 12 KOs), of Mexico, stayed on he canvas,  motionless and face down, for several long moments before he was able to climb to his feet and onto a nearby stool.

Eventually, he stood up and seemed to say he was OK to medical personnel who had rushed to his side. Then, he waved at a sparse crowd of fans.They applauded, relieved to see the fighter walk out of the ring under his own power. 

Canelo-Berlanga Card: Second fight delivers another second round stoppage

Two fights, two stoppages, both in the second round.

Lawrence King (17-1, 14 KOs) delivered an encore of the Canelo-Berlanga  card’s opening salvo, scoring a second-round stoppage of Vaughn Williams Saturday at Vegas’ T- Mobile Arena.

King, a light-heavyweight from San Bernardino CA., dropped Williams (12-2, 8 KOs), of South Carolina, twice in the second. It was over at 2:15 of the round.

First Bell: Canelo-Berlanga show opens with quick KO

The doors opened, the first bell sounded and Bek Nurmaganbet took care of business before anybody among a handful of early arrivals could get to their seats.

That’s how fast the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga card  got underway Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

Nearly eight hours before the main event and about an hour after high noon, Nurmaganbet ((12-0, 10 KOs) a super-middleweight from Kazakhstan, wasted little time and not much energy, overwhelming Joshua Conley (17-7-1, 11 KOs) within two rounds.  Conley, of San Bernardino CA, never had a chance. Nurmaganbet stopped him in the closing seconds of the second. 

The official fight week for the Canelo Alvarez-Edgar Berlanga super middleweight clash is underway in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fighters for the mega card are either on their way or have already arrived in Sin City, still the world’s fight capital for now, to take part in the mandatory media blitz on the stretch drive of selling tickets and pay-per-view buys for this Saturday’s event taking place at the T-Mobile Arena, located just to the west of the Strip. For Richard Medina, slated to open the preliminary broadcast against Canelo camp fighter and unbeaten prospect Jonathan Lopez, his first professional trip to Las Vegas represents a calculated gamble with the potential for a large windfall in the near future. 

Medina (15-2, 8 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas has had the benefit of fighting more than half of his professional fights in his hometown or the neighboring Floresville, Texas after concluding a well-decorated amateur career. While home cooking is always nice, most professional fighters have ideas of fighting under the bright lights in Las Vegas, for many years the host city of the biggest fights that could be made. Medina, known as “El Castigo,” is no different. 

“I’m excited,” explained Medina. “I’m really excited. This is like a boxing bucket list to fight in Las Vegas. It was one of my dreams to fight in Las Vegas, so now that it is happening I am really excited and more motivated for sure. I’ve been ready for something to come up like this. I’ve been staying busy in the gym, so I am ready. Canelo is a good fighter. I watch him, and everyone watches him when he fights, so to fight under him, it is a good experience for sure.” 

If there is one aspect that may alter Medina’s perspective on fighting on Canelo Alvarez’s undercard on Saturday, it could be that while Lopez is fighting far from his Orlando, Florida home, he is still the house fighter in the fight. Lopez is trained by Eddy Reynoso, the man that will be in Alvarez’s corner roughly five hours after their television opener. However, Medina is focused on the fighter in front of him and is prepared for what Lopez brings to the table. 

“He’s a good fighter,” Medina says of Lopez. “He has a lot of experience. He fought a couple guys in the amateurs that I know from around here. We’ve been watching a lot of film on him. He’s a counter-puncher. So we’ve been working on stuff to counter that.” 

Promoter Rick Morones Jr. of TMB Promotions has been with Medina since his professional debut in 2018. Morones, who promotes in the San Antonio area and has had a hand in developing many of the top fighters that have emerged from the region in recent years on his shows, understands the tough assignment Lopez presents, but is confident Medina brings challenges the undefeated fighter has not seen before. 

“Lopez is one hell of a fighter,” admits Morones. “He is very talented, he can punch. But I think this is Lopez’ toughest fight. Rick is very skillful, has good footwork, good speed. He had over 130 amateur fights, so he has experience as well. It was something, when this fight happened, we knew what type of fight it was going to be. At the same time, Lopez has not fought anybody like Rick. I think if Rick is on his A-game, he is going to give [Lopez] a lot of problems.” 

The glossy knockout record of Lopez, twelve kayos in 16 fights, catches the eye, but Medina believes that is one edge he has over his 21-year-old opponent. Medina has fought into the seventh round on seven occasions as a professional. On one of those instances, Medina went the full ten-round distance against eventual world champion Raymond Ford, far and away the highest profile fighter on either Medina or Lopez’s ledger. 

“I feel like I am more of an eight-round fighter [than he is,] and I do more damage in the late rounds,” explains Medina, who has fought well late into his last two fights, both of which went eight full rounds. “I think that will definitely benefit me in this upcoming fight.” 

The last time Medina went up against a house fighter in an eight-rounder was his last fight, a unanimous decision defeat to once-beaten George Acosta in Long Beach, California last December. The result of the bout is something of a sore subject to the Medina team. The San Antonio fighter traveled and performed well, to the point many ringside thought the fight was his before the scores were read by Lupe Contreras. Instead, the scores were wide the other way, with one judge managing to find only one round for Medina, making the defeat too hard to swallow. 

“This last fight with Acosta, everybody that was there in attendance thought Rick won that fight,” explains Morones. “I rarely complain, but when they announced the decision, and one of the judges had it 7-1, it was like they thought Rick was never in the fight. It was crazy. If you watch the fight, Rick is touching him up the whole fight and Acosta is just coming forward with his head, holding. I gave that kid two rounds. There’s the photo of them two afterwards and Rick isn’t beat up at all. It was a tough one to swallow, but he got over it. Here we are again, given an opportunity, and he’s here to make the most of it.” 

The moment that presents itself on Saturday is not lost on the 23-year-old Medina. “This is another great opportunity to put my name out there and to keep on moving up in my career,” says Medina. “Last fight, it was tough, fighting in another guy’s backyard. You need to knock him out or win by an overwhelming majority, and I guess I did not do that. So for this opportunity to come up, it is more motivating and I am grateful for it for sure.” 

The fight with Lopez on Saturday is not only an opportunity for the young Medina, but also for  Rick Medina Sr., the father-trainer of the San Antonio native. The elder Medina has only one client, his son, and they are traveling to Las Vegas to make the most of their crack at the big time together. 

“This is both of our dreams right here,” says Richard Medina, groomed to be a fighter since birth by his father. “He and I are both beyond grateful and happy for this. I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. He has always been by my side, through thick-and-thin. Bumping heads, but he has always stuck by me through the bad and the good. He always told me, and told my mom, even before I was born, that I was going to be a fighter. It was spoken into existence. So this is for both of us, when I win, it will be for both of us for sure.”  

While he will not have the large supportive crowd on hand that he became accustomed to fighting in San Antonio when steps in between the ropes in Las Vegas on Saturday, Medina is ready to kick the pay-per-view watch parties off back home with some excitement. 

“I am feeling amazing,” says Medina. “I am feeling confident. I have been working all year for an opportunity like this. I know it is going to be a good fight, maybe even a knockout I feel like. I would love that. I am looking forward to September 14th. It’s just around the corner. We’re ready.”

Tickets for the event, promoted by Canelo Promotions and TGB Promotions, in association with Premier Boxing Champions, are available online at AXS.com 

The preliminary undercard broadcast, opened by the Medina-Lopez bout, will stream live on Prime Video. 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Mario Ortega Jr. (Ringside)

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – Middleweight prospect Amari Jones moved into the main event spotlight in commanding fashion before his hometown supporters with a third-round stoppage of veteran journeyman Daniel Echeverria to conclude a nine-bout card at the Oakland Marriott City Center on Saturday night.  

From the opening bell, it was fairly clear Echeverria (21-13, 18 KOs) of Gomez Palacio, Durango, Mexico would be fighting up an insurmountable hill for as long as the bout lasted. Jones (13-0, 12 KOs) of Oakland, fighting for the second time in four months, may have held back on the gas in the opening rounds to ensure his friends and family had enough time to take some photos and enjoy themselves before he sent them to the exits with a smile. 

The Oakland-born Jones, 160, took his main event position seriously, adding to the spectacle of the night as he was led to the ring with a walkout performance by Vallejo hip hop artist DaBoii, before zeroing-in on his opponent Echeverria, 161.5. 

After feeling out his southpaw opponent for the first half of round one, Jones opted to join Echeverria in the unorthodox stance and landed a left that had the Mexican fighter looking to clinch late in the round. Jones then switched back to orthodox to finish the first, landing with a clean overhand right to conclude the first three minutes. 

With Jones back in the orthodox stance to begin round two, Echeverria got his courage up and had a brief moment of aggression, leading in with a left. Jones saw the opening and landed a left to the body that dropped the southpaw to the seat of his pants. Echeverria rose quickly, appealing to referee Dan Stell that it was their leg entanglement that caused him to lose his footing. Despite the protest, Stell continued his mandatory eight count before action resumed. 

Early in the third, Echeverria went down to his knee on his own volition, before returning upright to take some unprotected head shots. The combination of unsteady legs and lack of defense appeared to bring the referee into the nearby, looking-for-a-reason to stop the fight position. When Jones obliged by landing a chopping left to down Echeverria to all fours, referee Stell immediately waved off the bout, despite further protest from the overmatched journeyman. Official time was 1:39 of the third. 

With the victory, Jones, who looked untouched after the bout, maintains his position on the upcoming “Thunder Showdown” card set for September 21st at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. With the strong turnout on Saturday, hope for an Oakland return looks probable in the near future. Saturday’s event, promoted by Lion’s Den Boxing Promotions and Upper Cut Promotions, marked the first pro boxing event held in Oakland since 2018. 

In the last appetizer before the main event, “Sugar” Suray Mahmutovic (7-1-1, 6 KOs) of Daly City, California worked off the rust of a fifteen month layoff, scoring a six-round unanimous decision over a tentative Anthony Hollaway (7-7-3, 6 KOs) of Peoria, Illinois. 

In what had the potential to be an entertaining and competitive match on paper, neither Mahmutovic, 177.1, nor Hollaway, 178, looked eager to make the fight. After three rounds, Mahmutovic picked up the pace a bit in round four, finding Hollaway with more regularity with clean punches. Despite their knockout-heavy records, neither fighter looked eager to add a seventh stoppage to their six career kayo tally.  

After six completed rounds, judge Rey Danseco scored the bout a shutout for Mahmutovic, 60-54, while judges Kermit Bayliss and Brian Tsukamoto both had it 59-55. 

In perhaps a tougher assignment than expected, super featherweight prospect Gabriel Garcia (11-0, 6 KOs) of Antioch, California moved past a game road warrior in Giovanni Gutierrez (11-10-1, 6 KOs of Tipitapa, Managua, Nicaragua by six-round unanimous decision. 

The bout would end up including point deductions from both fighters, after many more warnings to each for various infractions, including low blows and hitting behind the head. Despite his opponent’s less than stellar physique, Garcia, 129.1, did not opt for a concentrated body attack that may have slowed the well-traveled Gutierrez, 129. 

Prior to the point deductions, Garcia landed a short right in close at the ten second warning of round four that dropped Gutierrez, who debated with referee Dan Stell that an entanglement caused him to lose his footing and not a punch. After the bell, Gutierrez, who was in a full sprint, swung wildly and missed with what would have been a blatant late punch, but served as a precursor to the later deductions. 

After the rough-and-tumble bout, all three judges scored the contest for Garcia, despite not agreeing on the scoring itself. Judge Rey Danseco had it 56-53, judge Brian Tsukamoto scored it 57-54 and Kermit Bayliss turned in what was a shutout after one point deduction, 59-52. 

Stanford University student Dante Kirkman (2-0) of Palo Alto, California pressed journeyman Miguel Soto-Garcia (1-4) of Fresno by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico over four-rounds en route to a one-sided unanimous decision victory.

Kirkman, 153, was clearly the more technically sound and athletically gifted fighter, but Soto-Garcia, 152.5, knew how to tie up when he found himself in any trouble. Down the stretch, Kirkman went into full headhunter mode, when some well-placed body work may have made his night easier.  

In the end, all three judges were in agreement on the shutout victory for Kirkman as Brian Tsukamoto, Rey Danseco and Kermit Bayliss all had it 40-36. 

In his professional debut, Marcos Antonio Perez (1-0) of Brentwood, California battled his way to a four-round unanimous decision over Ebert Diaz (1-2-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California in a thrilling back-and-forth affair.

Perez, 144, and Diaz, 143.5, opted to stay in the pocket and trade, much to the delight of the crowd on hand. Despite landing maybe the most telling blow in the bout, a right that rocked Perez early in the third, Diaz was shutout on the card of Brian Tsukamoto, while judges Kermit Bayliss and Rey Danseco both had it 39-37, all for Perez.

Alton Wiggins (1-1) of Modesto, California scored a workmanlike four-round majority decision over late replacement opponent Henry Rivera (2-8, 1 KO) of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Wiggins, 158.2, and the Oakland-born Rivera, 158.2, traded on fairly even terms over the course of the four rounds, but judges Brian Tsukamoto and Rey Danseco both had it a shutout, 40-36 for Wiggins. Judge Kermit Bayliss was the lone dissenting scorer, scoring the bout even 38-38.

Making his long-awaited debut, former amateur standout Kyle Lacanlale (1-0, 1 KO) of San Ramon, California steamrolled Michael Hernandez (0-4) of Banning, California on his way to a first-round stoppage.

Lacanlale, 126.5, quickly hurt Hernandez, 122.5, with one of the first combinations he threw. When Lacanlale eventually dropped Hernandez near the blue corner, referee Kru Michael Rinaldi began a count, before eventually waving off the bout at 1:00 of round one.

In his professional debut, Braulio Ceja Navarro (1-0, 1 KO) of Concord, California forced his will on a game Jaycee King (0-2) of Sacramento, California en route scoring a third-round stoppage.

Ceja Navarro, 132, landed a short right hand late in round one that dropped King, 132, near a neutral corner. Ceja Navarro rocked King again with a combination before the bell sounded to end the first. Ceja Navarro continued the pressure and rocked King again midway through the second round.

By the start of the third, referee Dan Stell was taking a closer look. When Ceja Navarro uncorked a combination early in the round, referee Dan Stell had seen enough. King was stopped standing at :32 of round three. 

In the opening bout, Tony Hirsch Jr. (4-0-2, 3 KOs) of Oakland earned a hard-fought four-round unanimous decision over a determined David Reyes Jr. (3-2-1, 2 KOs) of Fresno, California.

Hirsch, 138.5, was successful controlling the distance and catching the onrushing Reyes, 138.5, on the way inside. Every round featured two-way action, but Hirsch was more adept defensively on the inside.

Judges Brian Tsukamoto, Kermit Bayliss and Rey Danseco all scored the bout 39-37 for Hirsch, who made good in his hometown debut. 

Upper Cut Promotions, co-promoter of Saturday’s event along with Lion’s Den Boxing Promotions, hosts their next event on Saturday, September 21st at the Venue at Thunder Valley, a brand new event space at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, California. Tickets for the event are available online at uppercutpro.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Mario Ortega Jr. –

This past May, many hours before one of the faces actively representing the long-storied tradition of fighters from Tijuana, Mexico, Jaime Munguia, came up short in a valiant effort against the leading name in professional boxing as a whole, Canelo Alvarez, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, one of the leading prospects to add to the border town’s fighting mythology, Adrian Torres, gave the production crew and smattering of early onlookers a taste of what the future could hold. Torres, now making his home north of the border, aims to continue his upward trajectory as he takes on veteran Ardin Diale in the six-round lightweight main event at the Four Points by Sheraton in San Diego, California this Saturday night. 

Torres (8-0, 6 KOs) now resides in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista, having grown up in the Tijuana colonia of La Gloria, with a population of just over 2,600 according to published sources. Over the years, Tijuana as a whole has produced many noteworthy fighters, such as two-division champion Raul Perez, more controversial figure Antonio Margarito, the great Erik Morales to the present day representatives like Munguia and recently dethroned super bantamweight champion Luis Nery. 

“I like “Panterita” Nery,” explains Torres when asked about fighters from his famous hometown. “I like his style and there have been occasions at the Canelo gym in the past where I was able to spar with him and he gave me some encouraging words. I like what he does in the ring, so right now I look up to him.” 

Despite his geographical affiliation with Jaime Munguia, it was Torres’ connections to Canelo, through his team, that landed the aspiring Tijuana fighter known as “Ratón” the coveted slot to open the event on May 4th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Since the tailend of his limited amateur career, estimated to be around 25 fights, Torres has been trained and managed by a dedicated, multi-generational family unit, with chief trainer Carlos Barragán Sr., assistant Carlos Barragán Jr. and manager David Barragán. 

“Since [Canelo’s trainer] Eddy Reynoso helps us out and I work for Eddy, he says, ‘Carlos, let’s put Adrian Torres on,” recounts Barragán Jr. of the discussion that led to Torres’ bout against Arsen Poghosyan in May. “He’s from Tijuana and Jaime Munguia is from Tijuana.’ So I said, ‘Thank you very much’ and we went from there.” 

Prior to the May fight in Las Vegas, six of Torres’ seven pro bouts had taken place before a hometown crowd at the intimate Four Points by Sheraton in San Diego, with the lone exception taking place in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. Despite being the first bout of the evening and performing before a sparsely populated audience, the experience gained of taking part in a Canelo Alvarez fight week alone cannot be underestimated. 

“That is a monster in-and-of itself,” explains Barragán Jr. “Just to have some obligations with the media and have to go make weight. You have to go and find the places to train, especially in Vegas. Then just the arena…walking into that arena is a different monster. When people say they want to fight Canelo, that is what some don’t understand. You have to handle the arena, the media. It was a great experience for the kid.” 

Torres met the moment and won every round on all three official judges’ scorecards over a solid opponent, while going the six-round distance for the first time in his career. 

“It was a great experience,” says Torres of competing on the Canelo-Munguia card. “It is a little different in those kinds of arenas, with the cameras, but it was a great experience. We went six rounds, working with my corner and following their instructions and making little changes along the way, but it was good to go the six rounds.” 

Poghosyan, who competed at a high level as an amateur in Armenia, maintained a trend of tough matchmaking by Torres’ team as they continue to prepare their charge for bigger fights down the road. In just his second pro bout, Torres was matched against a very tough Christian Avalos of Carson City, Nevada, but was able to earn a hard-fought unanimous decision in January of last year. 

“I took that fight when I was really busy, on the road, and opponents were not coming through,” explains Barragán Jr. “They called me on Avalos and, in reality, I didn’t really do my homework and just said let’s go. The contract came in and I started really doing my homework and I said, ‘We have a live one.’ [Avalos] had gone to the nationals, won a silver medal at nationals. Adrian Torres is just a local kid that is learning along the way and Avalos, in that fight, was not going to lay down. We hit him with everything and the kitchen sink, but he was just a tough cookie.”

With only Poghosyan and Avalos, two fighters with accomplished amateur backgrounds and solid chins, having lasted the distance with Torres, it would appear that Tijuana may have another ferocious finisher on the horizon.

“I don’t think it is my actual strength or power [that lead to the stoppages,]” explains Torres. “I think it is the precision of the punches that I throw. Looking at everything, they fall with the shot to the liver, so I really like that shot. I understand that power is good, but sometimes it is good to get the experience of the full rounds, so I can get that experience instead of only having short fights.”  

In the two fights prior to traveling to Las Vegas, Torres impressively dispatched fighters, in William Flenoy and Pedro Pinillo, that had either upset or hung tough against well-regarded prospects between lightweight and 140-pounds. Flenoy entered their bout 2-0-1 in his last three against fighters with a combined 13-0-2 record. Pinillo would go on to last the six-round distance against full 140-pound mega prospect David Lopez this past July. 

“I’m not giving him all scrubs,” says Barragán Jr. “We are developing him and doing some good things. It is just a matter of slowly building, polishing and going from there.” 

Torres’ polishing continues this coming Saturday as he steps up to meet the most experienced opponent of his brief career in 58-fight Filipino veteran and former world title challenger Ardin Diale in a six-rounder this Saturday in San Diego.

“The man is a tough guy with a lot of experience,” says Barragán Jr. of Diale. “He’s fought “Gallo” Estrada, he’s fought some good guys and knows what he is doing. That is the type of experience that is going to get Adrian experience too. Those men are just as dangerous as some of the kids, because they understand where to place punches and those are the types of fighters we want to expose Adrian to.”

Despite the vast difference in professional experience, Torres does not seem too worried that Diale (35-19-4, 17 KOs) of La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines will be able to present anything that he cannot handle.  

“We are just going to go in and work with our speed and counter attacks and not let the experience ruffle our feathers or get us nervous,” explains Torres. “I think it is going to be a great fight, because he is coming in with a lot of experience. We are finalizing everything, checking the weight and focusing on the opponent. Everything is good.” 

The Four Points by Sheraton in San Diego has long been a hot venue for aspiring fighters from both sides of the border and all over Southern California to ply their trade and develop en route to bigger and more lucrative bouts. For many years, famed promoter Bobby DePhilippis made the hotel a destination for fight fans to see exciting, well-matched fight nights. In recent years Saul Rios of Borizteca Boxing, along with Eddy Reynoso’s No Boxing No Life, have proven to be exceptional caretakers of the established tradition. 

“I want to thank Eddy Reynoso from No Boxing No Life and I want to thank Saul Rios from Borizteca Promotions for providing this main event,” says Torres. “I am not going to let anybody down and we are going to have a great show. I want to let the fans know that, just like in the past, when they come to see a “Raton” fight, I will not predict anything, but they can understand that I am going to give them a great fight.”

Tickets for the event, promoted by Borizteca Boxing, No Boxing No Life and Clase Y Talento Boxeo, are available at the House of Boxing Training Center in San Diego. 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Norm Frauenheim –

Canelo Álvarez, who often acts like a Prince, and Turki Alalshikh, who is one, are engaged in a contentious face-off, emphasis on face. It’s messy, then again most things are in boxing.

This one has been brewing for a while, but it escalated in the wake of Terence Crawford’s solid, yet pedestrian decision over Israil Madrimov, who was known more for his amateur accomplishments than his pro resume. Crawford was supposed to be sensational. That expectation was built into his unbeaten record, his history as a two-division undisputed champion and his reign as the  consensus pound-for-pound No. 1. 

The Madrimov fight last Saturday was seen as a step toward bigger things, specifically a fight with Canelo. Instead, it left questions about what’s next for  Crawford. In retrospect, it’s no surprise. Crawford was attempting to make one the riskiest moves in boxing. He was jumping up in weight, from welterweight to junior-middle. 

Perhaps, it was a jump too far. Crawford looked tentative early and beatable later. Only a furious burst of energy and uppercuts over the final two rounds saved him from a scorecard upset. He won on all three cards. He won on this one, 115-113. But not everybody agrees, including Canelo. He told media that, on his card, Madrimov won.

Fair enough. In the end, however, the close fight is a sign that Crawford should stay at welterweight, Reportedly, that won’t happen. Boxing Scene reported Thursday that he intends to relinquish his World Boxing Organization version of the 147-pound belt. 

The consensus is that he’ll stay at junior middle, defend the 154-pound belt he took from the unappreciated Madrimov, whose up-and-down,  side-to-side movement was a defensive puzzle that the calculating Crawford could not solve.

Still, it was Crawford’s debut at a heavier weight. It was a new beginning for a fighter known for his smarts. Perhaps, he learned from it and will be more effective against Tim Tszyu, Sebastian Fundora, or Vergil Ortiz Jr. in his next date at junior-middleweight. Ortiz faces Serhii Bohachuk Saturday in an intruding 154-pound belt for an interim title at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay.

There are still options for Crawford. But the close decision over Madrimov — Crawford’s first victory after an eight-year run of 11 straight stoppages — eliminated one. For now, there’s no immediate chance of him facing Canelo, unified champion at 168 pounds. 

Throughout the buildup to Crawford-Madrimov, that was the talk. It was the one fight that Prince Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, seemed to want more than any other. Crawford insisted that he wasn’t listening, that he had only Madrimov on his mind. But it was impossible to ignore. 

If it was ever real, however, is another question for one reason: Canelo. He never seemed to exhibit any interest, perhaps because he knew that he wouldn’t get any credit for beating a smaller man. For whatever reason, Canelo continued to rebuff any and all attempts by Alalshikh to put together the fight. Tension was evident when Canelo continued to sidestep David Benavidez and  chose to fight over-matched Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14. The Canelo-Berlanga  fight at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on the same night Al Sheikh will work a UFC event at the brand new Sphere.

“We will eat him,’’ Alalshikh said of Canelo.

That’s one way of saying Alalshikh promises to destroy Canelo’s live gate on Sept. 14.

It was also a comment that offended Canelo, who has a history of getting angry at anything said that he views as disrespectful. After Gennadiy Golovkin trashed him for a positive test for clenbuterol, GGG offended him enough for their third fight to be delayed. Trash talk from Benavidez and his father, Jose Benavidez, is one reason there’s been no Benavidez-Canelo fight, despite a widespread demand for one. Now, it looks as if he won’t do business with Alalshikh, at least not for awhile.

“I don’t like the way (Alalshikh) talks,’’ Canelo told Boxing Scene this week.

He didn’t like the way Golovkin talked.

He didn’t like the way Benavidez and his dad talk.

Nevertheless, the Prince kept talking, countering in his own way on social media . “I have no desire in discussing another conflict,’’ he said.

Amid it all,  he did something else. He called himself “the face of boxing” in a social-media post that included his photo. Other than spending lots of money, it’s hard to know what he exactly thinks qualifies him to be the so-called face of anything other than perhaps a bank. Face-of-Boxing is one thing he can’t buy. 

It’s not in the purse.

It’s in the heart. 

It might be an ill-defined title, but only a face that risks lifetime scars qualifies. In saying he’s the face, Alalshikh tries to puts himself alongside Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Julio Cesar Chavez, Floyd Mayweather and so many others. There’s a debate today about whether the current face is Canelo, or Crawford, or Naoya Inoue, or Oleksandr Usyk. But neither Alalshikh nor any other promoter, matchmaker or sportswriter is in the argument. Or should be.

Alalshikh has access to unprecedented bills of currency that include the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson, Grant and Benjamin. It was hard to ignore — I tried —  that many in boxing were willing to get on bended knee to acquire as many of those Benjamins as they could Saturday. Repeatedly, broadcasters called Saturday’s card at BMO Stadium “the best ever.’’ Was that before or after Ali-Frazier? Before or after Duran-Leonard? Before or after Leonard-Hearns?

Spending money to change today’s game doesn’t include the right to rewrite its rich history 

Canelo, I think, knows that . Often, he’s easy to dislike. Money has turned him into a diva. When he says he wants $150-to-$200 million to fight Benavidez and $150 million to fight Crawford, he’s only saying he won’t fight either. If he is in fact the Face of Boxing, it’s blemished for as long as doesn’t fight Benavidez. 

But he’s proud and he also understands history. He’s always saying he wants to make history. This time, he is. In his stand against Prince Alalshikh, he’s saying that not everything can be bought.

By Mario Ortega Jr. –

Veteran light heavyweight Jasper McCargo entered the ring at a fork-in-the-road moment in time as a professional fighter on Saturday night in Sacramento, California. Should returning Blake McKernan get the best of him in their scheduled six-rounder, “Smooth Jazz” would seriously consider closing up shop on fighting and concentrate on his other life’s work as owner and proprietor of Pound for Pound Fitness, a personal training studio in his hometown of Richmond, California. McCargo did not leave the ring with his hand raised, but the manner in which defeat was dealt has left McCargo with unfinished business. 

Going into the third round on Saturday at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, the local fight fans appeared to be taking in an exciting and competitive fight. McCargo boxed well for most of the first round, but McKernan landed some eye-catching shots late that may have swayed it his way. Round two featured two-way action as well, with McCargo playing the boxer and counter-puncher and McKernan looking to close the distance. 

As is the case in boxing, things can change with one punch and they soon did in the third. McCargo was caught with a stiff right, which was the precursor to a knockdown, as ruled officially by referee Michael Margado, though disputed by McCargo’s own recollection. Upon resumption of the round, McCargo appeared to clear the cobwebs and actually boxed well to close out what had been previously a disastrous stanza. 

Things abruptly came to a halt at the start of round four. Long-tenured and well-respected ringside physician Dr. Gary Furness stood at a neutral corner to assess McCargo and before long referee Margado was waving off the bout, officially at :01 of the fourth, to the dismay of many ringside and despite the animated protest of “Smooth Jazz.”  

“I feel it was definitely an unfair situation that happened,” says McCargo. “To just stop the fight, it was not right. I feel like I deserved to be able to continue in the fight. In no way, shape or form, should he have stopped the fight. It definitely wasn’t right that he did that. I feel it was pretty unfair. We still had three more rounds to go and who knows what would have happened in those next three rounds. Especially the way Blake was getting tired anyway. I was feeling strong.”

To be fair to the ringside doctor, his chief concern is fighter safety and the disappointed fans and spectators ringside did not have the same face-to-face view of McCargo at the time of the stoppage. However, based on McCargo’s performance at the tail end of round three, and his fluidity in the immediate aftermath of the bout, one would have been hard-pressed to find a neutral party ringside that agreed with the timing of stoppage. 

“He didn’t say much to me,” recounts McCargo of his interaction with the doctor in the corner. “He called me over there and as soon as I went over there, I told him, ‘Hey, I feel great. You saw that I finished the round strong.’ He told me to follow his finger, and I know I followed his finger. I was getting ready to start the round and he just waved it off. There was nothing in regards to me, where he should have waved it off. 

I questioned him more about it in the locker room. He said, ‘Your left eye looked funny, like you might have had a concussion.’ I said, ‘Well my left eye is not the same as my right eye anyway.’ And I reminded him that I was talking fine, I was finishing the round strong and I was still punching and making him miss. We had that minute between rounds to recover. There was no reason to stop a fight like that. He just kind of did the brief post-fight test, said that I looked ok and gave me the basic 45-days [post-fight suspension]. And that was the end of the conversation.” 

McCargo (4-6-3, 2 KOs) is also of the opinion that it was not the right hand or any follow-up that finally drove him to the canvas in the third round, which ultimately prompted the ringside doctor’s concern. 

“Even with the knockdown, he caught me with a good shot, but really he shoved me down,” claims McCargo. “I tried to clinch after the shot, and as I was clinching he was actually pulling me down. So it wasn’t the actual shot that made me go down. It was him pulling me down. I guess it could go either way, but still, it wasn’t the type of blow that should stop the fight. If I had a concussion, he should have been able to finish me right there. I wouldn’t have been punching him and making him miss and talking clearly to him. If it was a concussion, I would have been still woozy and not able to punch like that. I just don’t feel like that was a good enough explanation.” 

With the result of their meeting on August 3rd carved into the record books, McCargo’s only recourse is to convince McKernan into giving him a rematch.  “Smooth Jazz” does not want to end his career on the sour note of a questionable stoppage in a fight he and many others felt was still undecided. 

“I feel like I deserve a rematch and all the people that came to see the fight deserve a rematch,” says McCargo. “I feel like if Blake was a real fighter, like a real serious fighter, then he should want to get a clear victory against me. Instead of bragging about a situation like that, as if it was a clear victory. 

The way I feel and the way a lot of other people feel: they paid 75 or 110 dollars to get in there and next thing you know, Blake lands one punch and the referee just stops the fight. And the fight doesn’t continue. I would have been mad too, if I had just come as a fan.” 

Blake McKernan (14-2, 7 KOs) of Sacramento will next fight on September 21st at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort in nearby Lincoln, California. McCargo initiated a push online for fans to voice their desire to see the rematch take place on that date next month and continues to make his case in the hopes the fight can be made in short order. 

“I was already supposed to fight on that show anyway,” says McCargo. “It was in the contract, if I had won, the rematch, with us fighting again, would have been on the 21st [of September]. So we should just fight on the 21st. What should happen is that we have a second fight and continue the first fight, that is what is fair.”  

The ball is likely in McKernan’s court. The rematch would conceivably be the easiest fight to make. Fan interest appears to be there as well. 

“If there were ever any situation where there should be a rematch, this is definitely that situation,” says McCargo. “Otherwise it is just unfinished.” 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Norm Frauenheim –

LOS ANGELES — It was a ceremonial weigh-in, which is another way of saying it was phony. But there was nothing phony about the look. From Terence Crawford, it never has been.

Crawford looked at and through Israil Madrimov the way he has throughout a career introduced and defined by unblinking, unforgiving eyes impossible to ignore and intense enough to fear. Crawford doesn’t say much. He doesn’t have to. Those eyes say it all. They have throughout a career without a loss and never a sign of hesitancy or self-doubt.

Errol Spence has seen it. Shawn Porter, and so many more, have seen it. It was Madrimov’s turn at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles Friday about 24 hours before their junior-middleweight title fight at BMO Stadium just a few miles of roadwork down the freeway.

They had already made weight earlier in the day behind closed doors for the California State Athletic  Commission. Crawford (40- 31 KOs) was at 153.4 pounds. Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) was at the 154-pound limit. A ceremonial version in front of fans and cameras was next. It’s one way to sell the pay-per-view for a card scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. PT (4:30 ET). It’s mostly theater, rehearsed and packaged. 

But for Crawford it was one more chance to unleash a look seen for the first time for the fighter standing across from him. We’ve seen the look on video and in photos. For those last few moments on a stage in downtown LA, however, it included more than just ceremony. There was chaos. At least, that was the promise, the forecasted threat, on the night before the first jab ignites the controlled violence.

Did it affect Madrimov? We won’t know until opening bell in a soccer stadium built on real estate that once included the old Sports Arena, a cornerstone to LA’s rich boxing history. But the look was a sure sign that the fight was already underway in the minds of both Crawford and Madrimov.  

“I was already the best at 154 when I stepped into this division,’’ said Crawford, a former undisputed champion at welterweight and junior-welter, who will fight for the first time at junior-middle against Madrimov, the champion about to make a first-time defense.

Madrimov is given a chance because of his familiarity at the weight. He’s a natural junior-middleweight. Then again, Crawford might be a natural force-of-nature. He’s on a roll, including a streak of 11 successive stoppages. 

The argument is that eventually a move up the scale will stop Crawford, end his pound-for-pound reign. Madrimov appeared to be unshaken by a look that has left a lot of Crawford opponents beaten before the first counter lands.

“I have a plan,’’ said the unbeaten Uzbek, who has been training in the desert east of Los Angeles under veteran trainer Joel Diaz’ guidance. “I have a plan to showcase my skills and prove I’m the best in this division.’’

Madrimov, mostly unknown among Mexican-American fans in Southern California, possesses athleticism and two-fisted power. Like Crawford, he’s versatile, able to switch from southpaw to orthodox and back.

A former gymnast, his footwork includes angles that could give Crawford problems. He’s an educated fighter, one who learned the craft through a decorated amateur career that includes more than 300 bouts. 

Translation: He knows what he’s doing. But, Crawford said, he’ll have to know a lot more than just that.

Crawford says he has beaten a lot of fighters whose resume includes trophies and medals.

“They all left the ring the same way, and I look for him to leave the same way,’’ Crawford said moments after a stare down that has always included an unmistakable look at him.

And what he intends to do. 

On The Undercard 

Former unified heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr. (35-2, 22 KOs), who is coming off a 23-month layoff,  faces Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller (26-1-1, 22 KOs). Miller was at 305.6 pounds, the lightest Miller has weighed in six years. Ruiz was at 274.4 pounds, the heaviest he’s been since his rematch loss to Anthony Joshua in December 2019. “This is everything for me, of course it is,’’ said Ruiz, remembered for his huge upset of Joshua in New York. “I had everything in the palm of my hand. Then, it just went away. I want to be a damn champion again.’’

In another heavyweight fight,  promising Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) is in for his toughest test against Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs). Anderson was at a career-high 252.4 pounds. Bakole also came in at a career-high weight, 284.4 pounds.

Mexican junior-welterweight champion Isaac Cruz (26-2-1, 18 KOs) got huge cheers from Mexican fans  He was at 140 pounds against Jose Valenzuela (13-2, 9 KOs), who was at 139.8.

David Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs), a Cuban living in Minneapolis, looks as if  he’s a possibility at light-heavyweight for David Benavidez, the Phoenix fighter who has decided to stay at 175 pounds. Benavidez relinquished his spot as the WBC’s so-called mandatory challenger to Canelo Alvarez’ super-middleweight title. Instead, Benavidez, who hopes to resume his career later this year, has a so-called mandatory shot at the 175-pound winner of Dmitry Bivol-versus-Artur Beterbiev in October. Morrell (10-0, 9 KOs) will be at light-heavy for a vacant title against Radivoje Kalajdzic (29-2, 21 KOs). Morrell, who has scored seven successive stoppages, was at 174.8 pounds Friday. Kalajdzic was at 174.4.

Andy Cruz (3-0, 1 KO), an Olympic gold medalist from Cuba, was at 134 pounds for his lightweight bout against Antonio Moran, who came in at 134.8. Cruz is a Boots Ennis stablemate. “Boots will be here, at ringside,’’ Cruz said of Philadelphia’s welterweight champion. Ennis wants to fight Crawford, who instead might be in line for a big-money bout against 168-pound Canelo. 

By Mario Ortega Jr. –

Without the support of one of the big-time promoters, fighters aiming to be successful in building their resumes often live by the motto,“I stay ready, so I don’t have to get ready.” Some of the best opportunities free agents receive come from accepting fights on short notice. In recent years, veteran light heavyweight Tony Hernandez has learned the value of staying ready, so when the opportunity came to fight this Saturday in Sacramento, California, “Pretty Boy” did not have to get ready and jumped at the chance. 

Hernandez (6-3-1, 4 KOs) of Live Oak, California is a longtime venue favorite at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, where Saturday night’s event takes place, but he was not originally slated to appear as part of promoter Nasser Niavaroni’s “Showdown in Sactown” card and did not get the call until three weeks out. 

“I was supposed to have one of my fighters make their debut on this card and he ended up getting hurt,” recalls Hernandez, who has owned and operated the Hernandez Boxing Academy in Yuba City for four years. “When that happened, Nasser asked if I could take his spot. So I ended up taking his spot and this is sort of a stay-busy fight for me, because I am looking for bigger fights in August and September.” 

Before Hernandez can shift focus to those potentially more profitable bouts in the coming months, he will first take on Jawan Jackson (0-3) of Sacramento in a four-rounder on Saturday. Jackson sports a novice pro boxing record, but has also competed professionally in MMA and kickboxing. 

“I’ve never heard of him,” admits Hernandez. “He’s almost 40 as well. I don’t know where he trains at. Maybe he is self-taught. He does have a lot of MMA fights though.” 

The one potential hiccup that could even the playing field for the less experienced Jackson would be the fact that Hernandez enters the bout at less than 100 percent. When preparing to fight in late April, Hernandez injured one of his hands in sparring and has been nursing it ever since. 

“I was sparring with Mike Guy and ended up hitting him on the top of the head,” recalls Hernandez. “So I laid off of it before I was offered a fight in Florida and ended up taking it. I was sparring with Joeshon James and hurt it again when I hit him on top of the head and then the elbow.” 

With a late August or September return originally planned, Hernandez has not been sparring since reinjuring himself in order to preserve his hand. 

“After that sparring, my hand was all swollen, and I figured I needed to let it heal,” explains Hernandez. “I couldn’t just keep hurting it, saying yes to fights and keep getting hurt. I wasn’t going to fight until September [until this fight was offered]. I haven’t sparred for this fight to be honest. I’m nursing the hand still. I’m just basically going off of being active and my experience, having been fighting for so long.”

One of the benefits of experience is the opportunity to learn from your past mistakes. Hernandez has gained a better understanding of his body and how to manage his weight between fights. 

“I was walking around at about 190,” explains Hernandez, who had previously begun camps, such as the one before Kenny Lopez Jr., as high as 225-pounds. “I’ll be coming in at 175 [on Saturday]. Right now I am about 183, so I only have about seven pounds to cut. I will just be sitting in a hot bath on Friday morning and drop the rest of the weight. This hasn’t been too bad with such a short notice.”

Without the ability to spar, for the fear of reinjuring his hand, Hernandez has concentrated on other areas of preparation. 

“For a three-week notice, I feel pretty good,” exclaims Hernandez. “I was running the mountains before [I was offered the fight] and staying active. I had hurt my hand so I was taking some time off, but still trying to stay active.”

Should Hernandez come out victorious with two healthy hands he could potentially be back in action before the end of the month on the Amari Jones-Daniel Echevarria undercard in Oakland, California. 

“Nasser might put me on to stay busy,” says Hernandez of the August 31st event, which takes place at the Oakland Marriott City Center.  “I was supposed to fight Amari, but he didn’t want to fight me at a catch-weight of 165. He wanted me to get down to 160. So we’ll see. Nasser was originally going to try and set that up for August, but maybe it is a possibility for September 21st.” 

Hernandez last touched the 160-pound middleweight limit in February of 2020. In the six fights since, including this coming Saturday, Hernandez has competed between 168- and 175-pounds. To get down to 160-pounds, to meet Amari Jones at Thunder Valley Casino, would be quite the undertaking.

“If I could make 160 by September that would be nice, but that’s a tough one,” admits Hernandez of a potential Amari Jones fight. “I’d have to do some serious training for that one.” 

Before he can shift gears and look toward August or September, Hernandez has the task at hand: win on Saturday and leave the ring healthy. 

“I am just hoping for a good show,” says Hernandez, who always draws a boisterous crowd in Sacramento. “I haven’t knocked anybody out since [May 2022,] so I am hoping for a knockout. I am going to push the pace and see how my hand feels. I am expecting this to end and it won’t go the whole four rounds, that is for sure. I’d just be playing with my food at that point.”

After Saturday, Hernandez’s meals could potentially get much bigger in the ring, while also getting smaller out of the ring. 

Tickets for Saturday night’s event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions, are available online at uppercutpro.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Mario Ortega Jr.

After a year of cancellations due to everything from opponent pullouts to promoted events that never took place after false weather reports or multiple postponements, Salinas, California-based super flyweight prospect Andrew Rodriguez will finally get to ply his trade in the United States for the first time as a professional this coming Saturday, just 130 miles north of home, at Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton. For Rodriguez, fighting at the Minor League Baseball stadium represents his first opportunity to show his local fanbase that, after years of perfecting his craft, he is ready for the major league of pro boxing. 

Rodriguez (3-0, 1 KO) entered the paid ranks in February of last year, earning a unanimous decision win over a 32-fight veteran in Rosarito, Mexico. For the former National Junior Golden Gloves champion, traveling south for his debut represented the culmination of years of hard work in the gym, dating back to Rodriguez’s early years of grade school. 

“It was pretty wild,” recalls Rodriguez of his debut. “It was like stepping into a new world. You don’t exactly forget about the amateurs, but you have to understand this is the real deal now. You can lose your life in boxing. One wrong hit and it is over. It was an eye opener. I had to tell myself, all the stuff you do outside of the gym is just as important as everything you do in the gym. I take that information I told myself and try to apply it to every day. Whenever I am in the boxing ring as a professional, I need to take care of myself.”

After notching his first knockout two months later in Tijuana, Mexico, Rodriguez was slated to make his stateside debut last April in Santa Ynez, California. After matchmakers for the event could not find an opponent willing to fight Rodriguez at his weight class, the super flyweight stayed the course in the gym, only to have several more agreed to dates fall apart that fall and into early this year. Rodriguez returned to the ring this past April, almost one year to the day of his last fight, scoring a four-round unanimous decision over 32-bout veteran Julio Jacobo back at the Evolution Club in Tijuana. 

“I was glad I went to get those cobwebs out of the way and he was a tough, game fighter,” says Rodriguez of the Jacobo fight. “It was a good fight and it went all four rounds for a unanimous decision win. If the knockout comes, it comes, but I would rather look good the whole fight, than have a shitty performance with a knockout win. I am glad I got that experience for my second full, four-round fight. It felt good after being without a fight for almost a full year. It was good to get in there, get the jitters out and it prepared me mentally for what is coming next.” 

Next up for Rodriguez is a familiar face in Alejandro Robles (0-3) of Modesto, California this Saturday night. After a year of gearing up for bouts that never came to fruition in his home country, the Salinas product had to have a pragmatic view of the proposed date until his opponent signed and it still may not feel like a reality until they step on the scale Friday in Stockton. 

“We got this date in Stockton to finally make my U.S. debut and I was hoping and praying it was going to come through,” says Rodriguez of when the July 20th date was first discussed. “Especially since we didn’t get that call [on the opponent] until late June. So when we got that contract, that was the confirmation stamp that we finally got it. We signed the contract, so it is official.” 

When Rodriguez was offered the fight, his opponent’s name rang familiar, even though he had never been offered to fight him over the last year of searching for bouts in California. After doing some digging, Rodriguez came across an old fight tape and realized they had shared a ring before. 

“I just remembered recently, I had fought him in the Golden Gloves in 2022,” says Rodriguez. “We fought back then and I came out victorious. For a while I didn’t recognize him, but I went back into some old files from amateurs and found out for sure that I had fought him. That was the amateurs though, and it is a whole different game in the pros. You can never underestimate anybody. In the pros, all it takes is that one hit. So looking at him, I am taking it like he is undefeated. He has that chip on his shoulder and I am pretty sure he knows who I am. So we are coming strong, coming hard for him.” 

Despite Robles’ winless pro record, Rodriguez is expecting his foe to come ready and be the best version of himself possible. 

“In his eyes, it has to be a make or break and against a guy that beat him in amateurs,” explains Rodriguez. “He’s fighting close to home for him, so I know he is coming to fight. I am not overlooking him or taking him lightly. I know I beat him in the amateurs, but it is a whole different game in the pros. We have eight ounce gloves on. I am coming mentally ready and physically strong. I’ve had some great work this camp and I feel it will all display this Saturday, July 20th.” 

In preparation for this fight, Rodriguez was in camp with his godbrother and featherweight contender Ruben Villa. The two also traveled to Riverside, California to get work with Robert Garcia’s vast stable of fighters before Villa wrapped up camp for his fight, which took place last Saturday. 

“I got some great work with all undefeated guys, working in the heat out there,” explains Rodriguez of his time in Riverside at the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy. “I got to turn heads and earn some respect out there from them.” 

Back home, finishing up his in-ring preparation, Rodriguez spent time in the squared circle with undefeated super bantamweight prospect Anthony Garnica in Oakland, California, who fights next month. “Garnica is a really solid fighter and one of the best fighters at my weight that I can get work with in the area,” says Rodriguez. 

Should things go according to plan on Saturday, Rodriguez and his team are eyeing potential dates locally in October and November to hopefully keep things rolling into 2025. 

“I want to get one or two more fights before the end of the year,” exclaims Rodriguez. “From there, hopefully five fights next year. I just want to stay active going into 2025 and hopefully be a lot busier all of next year.” 

Rodriguez, who ideally wants to campaign at 115-pounds, but is willing to take fights in the 118-pound bantamweight division, wants to build his career locally as much as possible and solidify his brand, joining Salinas’ storied line of professional fighters. 

“I feel a lot of people don’t know who I really am, just because all my pro fights have been in Mexico,” explains Rodriguez. “I took a break from the amateurs when I was about thirteen, so a lot of people didn’t really get to know me. I do wish my name was a little more out there. That is why we are working right now. I just have to keep working and my time will eventually come. I hope to put on an amazing performance this Saturday and turn a lot more heads.”

Despite all the trouble landing local fights, Rodriguez has continued to gain support from family, friends and fans throughout his early journey in the paid ranks. “Superfly” had a large contingent make the journey to Rosarito for his debut last year and plans to reward everyone that makes the shorter drive north as he fights on the undercard of the first boxing event ever held at Banner Island Ballpark this weekend. 

“I want to thank everyone for all the support,” says Rodriguez. “I know it has been a bumpy first year-and-a-half and I appreciate everyone that has trusted the process, sticking with me through all these fallouts. I just can’t wait to put on this performance on Saturday and show everyone what they have been missing out on.” 

Tickets for the event, promoted by G-Squad Entertainment and available via pay-per-view on the BLK Prime streaming service, are available online at gsquadent.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Mario Ortega Jr.

While often overlooked and underappreciated, the lower weight divisions in boxing produce some of the best fights each year. Rarely able to rely on punching power to win fights, the elite fighters furthest down the scale more often than not are superb technicians that have honed their craft in the gym. Historically, the American boxing public has been most drawn to the knockout punchers of the heaviest divisions, or the flashy athleticism of welterweights and lightweights. Former amateur sensation David Cardenas Jr. has begun to chart his rise and could one day become a fighter that draws eyeballs to the lowest weight divisions. Cardenas continues his ascension up the ranks Saturday, July 6th in Floresville, Texas.

Cardenas (6-0, 4 KOs) of San Antonio, Texas capped a distinguished amateur career by winning the USA Boxing National Championship at 106-pounds in December 2022 and becoming the #1-ranked fighter in his weight division before turning professional last August in Mexico. For most amateur fighters at the top of their respective weight class, the ultimate goal is the Olympic Games. With the 2024 Summer Olympics on the horizon, but the lightest weight division in competition set at 112-pounds, Cardenas and his team had a decision to make.

“We thought about [qualifying for the U.S. team,] because not everyone gets to go to the Olympics, but 112 isn’t really my weight class, so we decided to just go pro,” recounts Cardenas.

The 105-pound weight class in professional boxing, a division that first became recognized by the professional governing bodies of the sport in the late 1980’s, is often overlooked by even the most ardent followers of the sweet science in the United States. The division’s failure to break through into the public consciousness could be partially contributed to the fact that the division has never had a U.S.-born standout star and had never had a world champion born stateside until Oscar Collazo claimed the WBO title just last year.

Cardenas plans to make his campaign at 105-pounds, or the 108-pound light flyweight division, eventually. Six fights into his professional career, Cardenas has fought opponents as heavy as 121-pound Rodric Cherry, whom he stopped in two-rounds in his second pro bout late last August in San Antonio, and no lighter than 14-fight veteran Richard Hernandez, who made 112-pounds before lasting the four-round distance this past December.

“The difficult part is his weight class,” explains Rick Morones Jr. of TMB Promotions, promoter for Saturday’s event in Floresville. “It is hard to find those little guys. You run out of them pretty fast, so I think that will be the most difficult task for promoters [attempting to match David.] Promoters will tell you that weight class is a problem.”

Helping guide Cardenas’ career and charged with pointing him towards the right opponents as he progresses is his trainer Rick Nunez. “I have been guiding him throughout his fights,” says Nunez, a twenty-year veteran of the sport. “I have a lot of experience in that. I have been trying to build him up and get him to contender status.”

During his stellar amateur run, Cardenas was trained by well-respected U.S. National Team coach Jeffery Mays, among others. Across town, Nunez trained fighters out of his South Park Boxing Academy, including one consistent opponent from Cardenas’ weight class. Unbeknownst to the two, Nunez and Cardenas would eventually stumble into realizing they were in fact of family relation.

“David and his dad showed up to a local boxing event, with his uncle, who I knew was my cousin and I asked how they knew each other, and his uncle said [David Sr.] was his little brother,” recalls Nunez. “I was like, ‘What do you mean this is your brother?’ I still didn’t believe him, so I called my aunt and asked her about it.”

A year or so after getting the verification from his aunt of their family relation, Nunez took on the assignments of training Cardenas and steering his career in the right direction as the young amateur star was set to begin his run as a professional.

“Once he turned pro, I guess he realized he needed to make the transition and I already had a really good resume with building pro fighters and helping guys get to the next level as pros,” says Nunez, who was a part of the team that guided Mario Barrios to a world title. “He just told me, ‘Hey Cus, once I get ready to turn pro I want to come over to work with you.’ We have been working together ever since. We started off last August, so this August will be one year and hopefully he will be 8-0 in one year [of fighting professionally].”

For Cardenas’ first bout, Nunez opted to take his young charge on the road to Tamaulipas, a border state in Mexico, just south of Texas. It was a positive experience for Cardenas, one that he will be able to draw from down the line, as his weight class may require that he pack his passport to seek out the biggest possible bouts.

“It was a good experience,” recalls Cardenas, who never fought internationally as an amateur. “Rick was like, ‘Let’s go to Mexico and get all the nerves out in Mexico.’ I know a lot of fighters do that at the beginning of their career. I trusted in my team and I did that.”

Since his debut in Mexico, Cardenas has enjoyed the luxury of fighting in or within driving distance of his native San Antonio each time out, a streak that continues with his next scheduled bouts, July 6th in Floresville and August 24th back in his hometown.

“I enjoy [fighting at home,”] says Cardenas. “I have a lot of supporters in San Antonio and throughout Texas. They are the reason why I am here in this spot. Later on, it is going to be hard to fight as much here in San Antonio, Texas.”

The fight on Saturday in Floresville will be a rematch, as well as Cardenas’ first bout scheduled for six rounds. Getting ready for the longer distance only requires minor adjustments for a fighter that will have competed eight times in just over his first twelve months as a professional.

“We just do twice as much work,” says Cardenas. “If I am fighting six rounds, I do eight rounds or ten rounds in sparring. I am just doing everything harder.”

“We spar a few extra rounds here and there,” explains Nunez. “I have a lot of amateurs in my gym, but I am not big on amateur boxing, so everyone in my gym is training as if they are a pro or going to turn pro sometime down the line. It is nothing different. It is just about being more patient in the ring and being comfortable with the longer distance.”

For his first bout scheduled for six, Cardenas will meet a familiar foe in 16-fight veteran Steveen Angeles Cruz. The two met in March, with Cardenas winning every round on the judges’ scorecards en route to a four-round decision. Despite the lopsided scoring, it was a tougher-than-expected fight the first time out. With the rematch set for six-rounds Saturday, Cardenas has a second chance to silence any doubters, and two extra rounds to accomplish that feat.

“That was probably one of David’s only not-so-good, not-so-exciting performances,” admits Nunez. “Within the first two rounds, it looked like David was going to knock the kid out, but David just got tired. He just couldn’t put him away and it’s just extra motivation for David. So that is the only reason [for a rematch.] There were some people that said he didn’t look too good against this guy. So we said he had a bad night, we will take it and show everybody that he just had a bad night. He is human like anybody else and it happens.”

Promoter Rick Morones Jr. expects to see an interesting fight on Saturday, with both the young prospect David Cardenas Jr. and the game veteran Steveen Angeles Cruz having something to prove.

“With these types of fights, especially with the first one being tough, you are going to get the best version of Steveen Cruz, so this one will be even better,” says Morones. “But you are also probably going to get a better version of David Cardenas, which makes the fight all that more interesting.”

Should things go according to plan on July 6th, Cardenas will keep the busy schedule rolling into an August 24th bout back in San Antonio. “The first year or two, it is always good to move them at a good pace, because they are only four-round fights and obviously he is not going to go the distance in every one of them,” says Nunez. “He’s not getting into ring wars. His skillset is very good and his IQ is also. He’s not taking punishment, so it’s good to keep him busy. When we get him to that next level, then we will look to back him down to three or four fights a year.”

While it is early to look too far down the road, Cardenas’ team have designs on building him up over roughly the next two years, before setting their sights on challenging for a title. With the aforementioned New Jersey-born, but Puerto Rico-raised and based Oscar Collazo representing the only previous American champion in his division, Cardenas could one day be the first 105-pound champion with a strong hometown fanbase to fight out of the continental United States.

“My career is moving pretty fast and it is going pretty good,” says Cardenas. “I have just been staying in the gym throughout the year and trusting my team and my dad. I stay in the gym and trust that they will get me the fights and wins I need to keep moving forward. Keep expecting exciting fights. Expect to see me keep on improving in these fights and looking better. The tougher the competition is, the better I look.”

Tickets for Saturday’s event at the Floresville Event Center, promoted by TMB Promotions, are available by calling 210-449-5599 or 210-322-9974.

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX, AZ — On the scale, there was no difference between them. Not even a single ounce.

In a weigh-in that might be a hint at how close a DAZN-streamed fight for the almost mythical  SuperFly title might be Saturday night at Footprint Center, Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez and Juan Francisco Estrada were at the limit, 115-pounds each.

The only surprise, perhaps, was the crowd Friday night for a so-called ceremonial weigh-in at a re-done old building in the city’s warehouse district a couple of miles south of Footprint.

The official weigh-in, conducted by the Arizona Boxing & MMA Commission behind closed doors at a downtown hotel, happened about nine hours earlier.

The ceremonial version was for show, and sure enough Mexican and Mexican-American fans showed up, most of them for Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s

defending champion.

They chanted his nickname.

El Gallo filled the old room as he stepped on to the scale.

El Gallo echoed through the place as he stepped off.

“They are here for me and more will be Saturday night,’’ said the accomplished Estrada, the son of a Mexican fisherman  who grew up about 215 miles south of Phoenix in a town, Puerto Penasco,  located at the top of the Gulf of California.

Despite the title belt, Estrada goes into the bout as betting underdog. The odds are dictated by time. Estrada hasn’t fought since a narrow decision over iconic Ramon Gonzalez 19 months ago in Glendale, a Phoenix suburb.

More significant perhaps are the years not included on a traditional tale of tape.

The 34-year old Estrada is a decade older than Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs), an emerging 24-year-old Mexican-American from San Antonio.

Rodriguez heard the chants and smiled at Estrada as they stood across from each other and stared into each other’s eyes during the ritual face-off for the cameras.

“This is another day for me, a day at the office’’ Rodriguez said. “I’ve been getting ready for this moment for a long time.’’

Still, Rodriguez’ deep-seated respect for Estrada was also evident. For years, Rodriguez looked at Estrada and saw a hero.

Now, he sees a rival.

“This the biggest fight of my life,’’ Rodriguez said. “It’s also a fight I’ve been preparing for for most of my life.’’

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX, AZ — Eddie Hearn foresees the Bam Rodriguez-Juan Francisco Estrada bout Saturday night as a potential Fight of the Year, one that could have pound-for-pound implications. 

“Going into Saturday, I’d say this the best fight so far this year,” Hearn, of Matchroom Promotions, said Thursday at a news conference featuring Rodriguez and Estrada at a redone old building in a warehouse district south of Footprint Center. “Bam is in for a big test. Estrada is proven. He looks fresh.”

The 34-year-old Estrada is a decade younger than the emerging Bam, a Mexican-American from San Antonio who is fighting in Phoenix for the second straight time after his pound-for-pound attention-getting victory over Sunny Edwards last December at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale.

A big victory over the accomplished Estrada could vault Rodriguez into the top of the pound-for-pound debate alongside Naoya Inoue, Oleksandr Usyk and Terence Crawford, according to Hearn.

“He’s only 24 years old,” the promoter said. “He’s just beginning. A phenomenal performance here against Estrada would set up some enormous fights.”

Phenomenal probably means a stoppage. Bam sounded confident that he could pull one off against the tactically-skilled Estrada, the son of a Mexican fisherman who grew up 215-miles south of Phoenix in a town named Puerto Penasco..

“I think I have the skills to stop any one,” Bam said.

But he also knows he never faced anybody better than Estrada, the World Boxing Council’s 115-pound champion.

“This is my biggest fight ever,” Bam said.

Estada, nicknamed El Gallo, says he stands in the way of Bam’s bold ambitions.

“It’s going to be a real good weekend, especially for the Mexican people,” Estrada said. “It’s a chance to show that El Gallo still has things to do in this sport.” 

Vasiliy Lomacheno won the IBF Lightweigt title with an 11th round stoppage of former world champion George Kambosos Jr. in Perth, Australia

In round seven, Kambosos was cut around his right eye. Lomachenko beat down Kambosos and softened him up. In round 11, Lomachenko landed a hard left to the head while Kambosos was bending down that put Kambosos on the canvas. Kambosos was clearly done, and Lomachenko ended the fight by landed a crushing left to the body that put Kambosos down again and the fight was stopped just as the towel was being thrown in from Kambosos corner at 2:49.

Lomachenko is a champion again with a record of 18-3 with 12 knockouts. Kambosos falls to 21-3.

Lomachenko said, “It looked like a knockout today, not ‘No-Mas-Chenko.’ But, you know, we trained hard for this moment. I want to thank my opponent. He is a strong man and a true warrior.

“My plan was to adjust to my opponent. This is what I did during the fight. I knew I needed to finish strong. And in the last three rounds, I was trying to find his body.

I never ran around during my boxing career. I always take fights. Right now, I want to come back to my home, spend time with my family, and after I rest a little bit, we can talk about my future.”

Kambosos said, “He’s a true champion. He’s a legend of the sport. I give him the utmost respect. We knew what we are coming up against, and I tried my best. But it wasn’t enough today.

He’s one of the best fighters in history. So, I’m not ashamed. I wanted to finish the fight on my feet. I wanted to finish the rounds like I always do. But there’s no shame in losing to a man like Lomachenko.”

Johnson Decisions Hughes to Win Bantamweight Title

Cherneka Johnson won the WBA Bantamweight Title with a 10-round majority decision over previously undefeated Nina Hughes

Johnson landed 167 of 520. Hughes was 133 of 570.

Johnson of Australia won by scores of 98-92, 96-94 and 95-95. and is now 16-2. Hughes of England is 6-1.

Guevara Decisions Andrew Moloney to Win Vacant Interim 115 lb. Title; Moloney Announces Retirement

Pedro Guevara won the vacant WBC Interim Bantamweight title with a split decision over Andrew Moloney.

In round 10, Moloney began to bleed from his hairline.

Guevara landed 177 of 661 punches. Moloney as 152 of 506.

The scorecards read 115-113 Guevara on two cards, 116-113 Moloney.

Guevara of Mexico is 42-4-1. Moloney of Australia is now 26-4. The bout capped a bad week for the Moloney twins as brother Jason lost his Bantamweight Title in Japan on Monday.

Right after the bout, Moloney announced his retirement by saying, “I am done with this sport, Fuck that.”

“I really want to come back here. It’s amazing here,” Guevara said. “I’d have no problem giving him a rematch.”

Moloney said, “I felt in total control. I did what I had to do in there tonight to get the win. I don’t want to make excuses, but I went into this fight with a torn biceps, so I couldn’t throw the left hook unless I needed to. I didn’t feel like I needed to throw it because I was in total control. “

By Norm Frauenheim –

PHOENIX – Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez once looked at Juan Francisco Estrada and saw an idol

Now, he sees a rival.

“The first time I saw him, I wanted to be like him,’’ Rodriguez said.

Now, he wants to beat him.

Rodriguez will get that chance on June 29 at Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.

It’s an intriguing fight, junior-bantamweight according to some of the acronyms. But there’s nothing junior about it. It’s Super Fly, 115 pounds loaded with a chance to be as compelling as any fight up and down boxing’s scale.

“It’s what I think will be Fight of the Year,’’ Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn said at a news conference Wednesday on a stage located just off the Phoenix Suns home floor.

Hearn is expected to say those kinds of things, of course. He’s a promoter, after all. Hyperbole is part of the job. But he’s right-on this time. It’s hard to overstate this fight’s potential.

It matches tested experience against a younger man’s bold confidence.

Estrada (44-3, 28 KOs), the defending champion, is a 34-year-old tactician from a Mexican fishing village, Puerto Penasco, about a five-hour drive south of Phoenix. He’s got some scars and lots wisdom to go with his proven ring IQ.

Then, there’s Rodriguez (19-0, 12 KOs), a 24-year-old from San Antonio with a cartoon-like nickname. Bam, it’s a word straight out of a comic book. But that power is no joke.

Just ask Sunny Edwards, who suffered from it in losing a violent beatdown — a ninth-round stoppage — in Bam’s last visit to the Phoenix area in December at Desert Diamond Arena in nearby Glendale.

“I’m a different breed,’’ said Rodriguez, who will be fighting for the third time in Arizona. “I’m a different animal. Come June 29, expect fireworks.’’

Rodriguez might need fireworks and more against Estrada, whose skillset was enough to score a majority decision over the accomplished Roman Gonzalez in a second rematch about 19 months ago, also at Desert Diamond.

It’s not clear how the long stretch between bouts will affect Estrada. An idle champion is a vulnerable one. At least, that’s the theory.

In his long career, however, he’s encountered some of the best, including three fights against Roman Gonzalez, the lightest fighter to ever be voted No. 1 in the various pound-for-pound ratings.

It’s no wonder, perhaps that he and his management look at Rodriguez and question his experience, if not his maturity.

“We’ll see if Bam is still in diapers or is potty-trained,’’ Estrada promoter/manager Juan Hernandez said Wednesday. “…Perhaps, he’s being fed leftovers.’’

That made Bam trainer Robert Garcia smile. It also prompted a counter from Bam, who mostly is known for letting his punches do the talking.

“People didn’t think I could stop (Srisaket Sor) Rungvisai,’’ Rodriguez said. “They probably didn’t think I could stop Sunny Edwards. They probably don’t think I can stop Estrada.

“But I’m here to shock the world.’’

TOKYO (May 6, 2024) —It had been more than 34 years since the Tokyo Dome hosted a boxing event. Naoya “Monster” Inoue (27-0, 24 KOs), boxing’s pound-for-pound king, made it worth the wait. Inoue scored a sixth-round TKO over Mexican former two-division world champion Luis Nery (35-2, 27 KOs) in front a packed house Monday evening to defend his undisputed junior featherweight championship.

This marked the 22nd world title victory for Inoue, who recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of winning his first world title.

“Inoue is among the greatest fighters I’ve promoted, and he was sensational once again. Nery came to win, but ‘The Monster’ was too much,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum.

Inoue was floored early by a counter left hand in the opening stanza as he closed in on Nery. The 31-year-old returned the favor in the following round by sending Nery to the canvas with a counter left hook. Inoue then began breaking Nery down during the ensuing rounds before dropping him again with a left hook in the fifth. In the sixth, the pound-four-pound great landed consecutive right hands to end the fight at 1:22.

Inoue said, “I appreciate Nery. That’s why I shook hands with him after the fight. The knockdown motivated me. I am thankful to have fought against a great fighter in Nery.

“I don’t remember anything my dad {head trainer Shingo Inoue} told me in the intermission, but that happening gave me motivation. I was so focused until the end of the fight.

“Thank you so much to everyone for witnessing my fight. There are over 40,000 people here in the Tokyo Dome. I promise that I will keep giving you fights that get you excited.”

Takei Dethrones Moloney

Japanese former kickboxing world champion Yoshiki Takei earned boxing hardware in just his ninth pro fight, using his length and tricky southpaw style to topple WBO Bantamweight World Champion Jason Moloney (27-3. 19 KOs) via unanimous decision.

Takei (9-0, 8 KOs) prevailed by scores of 116-111 2x and 117-110. Moloney had Takei badly hurt and out on his feet in the final round, but the Japanese upstart survived the late charge to notch the well-earned decision. 

Bantamweight: Takuma Inoue (20-1, 5 KOs) UD 12 Sho Ishida (34-4, 17 KOs). Scores: 118-109 2x and 116-111. Inoue, Naoya’s younger brother, made the first successful defense of his WBA Bantamweight World Title.

Flyweight: Seigo Yuri Akui (20-2-1, 11 KOs) UD 12 Taku Kuwahara (13-2, 8 KOs). Scores: 118-110 and 117-111 2x. Akui retains the WBA Flyweight World Title.

LAS VEGAS–The face of Mexican boxing has aged.

But it hasn’t changed.

It’s still Canelo, now bearded, yet still proud and stubborn That inexhaustible streak of stubborn pride was there, a force that withstood a younger man’s challenge throughout 12 rounds Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

Canelo Alvarez won it, scoring a unanimous decision over fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia.

“It means a lot,’’ Canelo (61-2-2, 3 KOs) said moments after the 117-110, 116-111, 115-112 scores were announced. ‘’I like this guy a lot. He is gentleman.”

But, he went on to say: “I’m the best. I’m the best fighter right now.’’

He might get an argument from Terence Crawford or Naoya Inoue. David Benavidez, who was in the T-Mobile crowd, might want a chance to prove him wrong. But on this night, there was no argument, especially from the 27-year-old Munguia (43-1, 34 KOs).

In the fourth, Canelo began to exert control. The spring in Munguia’s opening step was gone. He dropped his left hand.

Canelo saw it and capitalized with predatory instinct. He landed a wicked uppercut, followed by a body shot. Suddenly, Munguia was down on the canvas, his eyes empty of an earlier confidence.

For the next couple of rounds, Canelo ruled, patiently and thoroughly. By then, Munguia knew there was still power in the older man’s hands. He was wary. He was smart.

He knew what he had seen in Canelo’s last several fights. He had studied the video. Munguia would wait until the seventh to re-assert himself in an effort to test the theory that Canelo tires in the second half of fights.

In the opening moments of the seventh, Munguia backed Canelo up and into his corner.

But Canelo didn’t stay there. He stepped forward and broke through Munguia’s up-raised gloves with punches accented by deadly power.

It was a pivotal moment, a sure sign that Canelo was there to go the distance. He stood his ground in the eighth, the ninth and the 10th. He took punches. Landed punches.

“I took my time,”

Canelo said. “I have a lot of experience. Munguia is a great fighter. He’s strong and smart. But I have 12 rounds to win the fight and I did. I did really good, and I’m proud of it.

“He’s strong, but he’s a little slow. I could see every punch. That’s why I’m the best.”

At times, it looked like a standoff. But Canelo went into the final two rounds with a key edge. He had that fourth-round knockdown in the bank and he would fight to protect it with experience, tactical knowhow and stamina not often seen in the super-middleweight champion over the last couple of years.

In the first round, Munguia’s length and quick hands seemed to surprise Canelo.

On young legs, Munguia moved side to side, again seemingly surprising Canelo with his athleticism.

In the second, a wary Canelo began to look for a way to slow down Munguia. He landed a couple of warning shots, first a body blow and then a quick combo.

But Munguia, looking like a tireless kid on the playgrounds, responded by bouncing on his toes and firing straight shots at a backpedaling Canelo.

“I came out strong and was winning the early rounds,” Munguia said. “I let my hands go, but he’s a fighter with a lot of experience. The loss hurts because it’s my first loss and I felt strong.” 

The announced crowd of more than 17,000 was divided. For some, the young Munguia has a working-class appeal no longer there in the wealthy, celebrated Canelo.

Munguia’s entrance was cheered by folks in cheaper seats in T-Mobile’s upper deck.

Then, there was Canelo, cheered by folks in expensive seats on the floor and in the lower bowl.

At opening bell, the arena was a clash of chants.

First, Munguia, Munguia.

Then, Canelo, Canelo.

In the end, there was only Canelo.

Still Canelo.

Marios Barrios wins unanimous decision

Mario Barrios, a junior-welterweight champion and an emerging welterweight, scored a knockdown, but not a knockout out of a name synonymous with resilience.

Fabian Maidana is not as well-known as his brother, Marcos Maidana.

But the name sticks around mostly because the brothers know how to. Marcos did it against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Fabian did it against a bigger, stronger Barrios in a. fight for an interim 147-pound title in the last boutt before the Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia main event at T-Mobile Arena Saturday night.

Barrios (29-2, 18 KOs), of San Antonio, put Fabian (22-3, 16 KOs), of Argentina, on

to the canvas with a straight right hand in the second round. Then, it looked as if the end was near. But it was not. Fabian kept coming back, kept rocking Barrios’ head with piston-like pouches that started with an accurate jab. By the end of the 12-round bout, Barrios’ right eye was an ugly welt, swollen shut

Barrios had trouble seeing.  But not winning. On the judges cards, it was unanimous, 116-111 on all three, for Barrios. He won, but not as easily as expected because of another Maidana

Figueroa knocks out Magdaleno

Jessie Magdaleno had no chance at winning the title. Turns out, he didn’t have much of a chance against Brandon Figueroa either.

Magdaleno (29-3, 18 KOs), who forfeited his eligibility for a World Boxing Council’s interim belt when he failed to make weight, was simply no match for the busier, stronger Figueroa (25-1-1, 19 KOs), of Weslaco TX.

In the opening rounds of the featherweight bout on the Canelo-Munguia card, Magdaleno tried to smother Figueroa. Instead, he often smothered any potential excitement. In the fifth, however, Figueroa delivered a low blow, a painful uppercut. Magdaleno fell. He was on hands and knees. His face was flat on the canvas. He was in evident pain. Somehow, he recovered, but not enough to give him a shot at victory.

In the ninth, Figueroa finished him, first with a sweeping right hook and then body shot. At 2:59 of the round. referee Allen Huggins counted Magdaleno out.

Stanionis retains welterweight title

Eimantas Stanionis, cool and efficient throughout 12 rounds, controlled pace, distance and — in the end — the World Boxing Association’s welterweight title.

In only his first title defense, Stanionis (15-0, 9 KOS) fought with the authority of a longtime champion, leaving challenger Gabriel Maestre (6-1-1, 5 KOs) few opportunities in a one-sided display of patience and tactical skill. 

Maestre, of Venezuela, was never off his feet. But he never had much of a chance either, losing a unanimous decision to the unbeaten Lithuanian on the Canelo-Munguia card.

Jesus Ramos back with a knockout

It was the right way to end a comeback.

Jesus Ramos (21-1, 17 KOs), a junior-middleweight prospect from Casa Grande AZ,  punctuated his  with a stoppage, a technical knockout of a tough Venezuelan, Johan Gonzalez (34-3, 33 KOs) Saturday on the card featuring Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.

Ramos, fighting for the first since his lone loss — a controversial decision to Erickson Lubin in September, began to take control of the fight in the fifth. He was moving forward, stubbornly forward, with powerful shots that drove Gonzalez into the ropes. In the sixth, however, a head butt left Ramos with a nasty cut over his left eye. 

The bloody gash seemed to take away much of Ramos’ momentum. But he regained it with heavy-handed shots delivered from a crouch.. His hands were down. 

But the power was deadly. In the ninth, it finished Gonzalez, first with a left-handed counter that put him on his back. Then there was a succession of blows, including a big right hand that knocked Gonzalez again. At 2:56 of the ninth, it was over, Ramos a TKO winner and and presumably on his way back to being a young fighter with championship potential  

BELOW BOUTS BY MARC ABRAMS

World-ranked junior middleweight Vito Mielnicki Jr. hammered out a 10-round unanimous decision over Ronald Cruz.

At the end of round three, Mielnicki dropped Cruz with a left hook just as the bell sounded. Mielnicku dumped him again with the same punch just before round four concluded.

Mielnicki landed 187 of 605 punches. Cruz was 143 of 460.

Mielnicki, 153.6 lbs of Roseland, NJ won by scores of 99-89, 98-90 and 96-92 and is now 18-1. Cruz, 153.2 lbs of Los Angeles is 19-4-2.

Alan David Picasso remained undefeated by stopping former world title challenger Damien Vazquez in round five of their 10-round super bantamweight bout.

Picasso, 121 lbs of Mexico City is now 28-0-1 with 16 knockouts. Vazquez, 122.2 lbs of Las Vegas is 17-4-1.

William Scrull scored a knockdown en-route to an eight-round unanimous decision over Sean Hemphill in a super middleweight bout.

Scrull dropped Hemphill in round five in the fight which eventually led to scores of 79-72, 78-73 and 76-75.

Scrull, 167.2 lbs of Matanzas, CUB is now 22-0. Hemphill, 167.4 lbs of New Orleans is now 16-2.

Lawrence King won a six-round unanimous decision over Anthony Holloway in a light heavyweight contest.

King, 181.2 lbs of San Bernadino, CA won by scores of 59-55 on all cards and is now 16-1. Holloway, 177.4 lbs of Peoria, IL is 7-4-3.

Adrian Torres won a six-round unanimous decision over Arsen Poghosyan in a lightweight bout.

Torres, 136.6 lbs of Tijuana, MEX won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 8-0. Poghosyan, 126.2 lbs of Yerevan, ARM is 3-2-1.

Julian Bridges won a six-round unanimous decision over Jabin Chollet in a battle of undefeated super lightweights

Bridges, 138.4 lbs of Antioch, CA won by scores of 59-55 on all cards and is now 5-0. Chollet, 139.8 lbs of San Diego is 9-1.

Follow all the action as Canelo Alvarez defends the Undisputed Super Middleweight title against Jaime Munguia. The action will take place at 8 PM ET / 5 PM PT with three world title bouts.

NO BROWSER REFRESH NEEDED. THE PAGE WILL UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

ROUND 1 Munguia jabbing…Counter left from Canelo..Left Hook from Munguia,,,

ROUND 2 Right to body from Canelo…Body from Munguia,,,Right from Munguia,,,Body shot,,Left to body by Canelo…Hard right,,Left from Munguia..Right

ROUND 3 Right from Munguia,,,5 punches…Counter uppercut from Canelo.,..Counter,,Right from Munguia..Huge flurry 

ROUND 4 Combination from Munguia,,,Right from Canelo…left hook…trading rights…HUGE UPPERCUT AND DOWN GOES MUNGUIA…

ROUND 5 Jabs from Munguioa..Right from Canelo..Flurry from Mungia..Thuudding left hook from Canelo..

Round 6 Left hook from Canelo…Left…Flurry from Munguia..Body shot,,,2 lefts from Canelo…

ROUND 1: Magdaleno cut over his right eye from a headbutt

ROUND 2 Figueroa working on the inside..

ROUND 3 Magdaleno moving

ROUND 4 Left to body from Figueroa and then hits Magdaleno low 

ROUND 5 Good action for Magdaleno

ROUND 6 Big Shot by Figueroa on the ropes

ROUND 7 Figueroa out working

ROUND 8 Left from Magdaleno…Body shots…3 punches inside from Figueroa..

ROUND 9 Figueroa landing on the ropes…BIG BODY SHOT…DOWN GOES MAGDALENO…HE CANT GET UP…FIGHT OVER

ROUND 1 Left to body from Stanionis…Right…Uppercut..Body shot from Maestre…Left Hook from Stanionis..

ROUND 2 Jab from Maestre…Hard Jab…Left hook..Counter Right…

ROUND 3 Double Left hook from Stanionis..Jab..Combination from Maestre..Jabbing and moving..Right from Stanionis..Right…Solid right..

ROUND 4 Right from Stanionis..Left Hook..Left to body…Right over the top…Uppercut…Left to body

ROUND 5 Jab and uppercut from Maestre…Right from Stanionis..Uppercut..Quick Jab..Jab…

ROUND 6 Jab from Stanionis..Right,,2 Rights…Right to Body from Maestre…Left hook and right to body..Right from Stanionis…

ROUND 7 Uppercut from Maestre…2 Body shots…Trading Jabs…More Body work from Maestre…Bolo Uppercut..

ROUND 8 Maestre working the body inside..2 more body shots..Jab from Stanionis..Right…Jab.

ROUND 9 Right from Stanionis…Body shot from Maeatre…Combo from Stanionis..

ROUND 10 Double left hook from Stanionis…Double jab…Counter right to the head…Left hook shakes Maestre…

ROUND 11 Jab from Stanionis..Right from Stanionis..2 rights…Jab from Stanionis…

ROUND 12 Jab from Stanionis…Right to the head…

117-111, 118-110, 119-109 FOR STANIONIS

By Norm Fraueneim –

LAS VEGAS – David Benavidez is ready to move on from years of waiting on Canelo Alvarez, yet he still hasn’t eliminated the chance that one day he might fight the celebrated Mexican.

Just hours before Canelo faced super-middleweight challenger Jaime Munguia Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, Benavidez said he was poised to go his own way, upscale and away from his frustrating pursuit of Canelo.

“I want to make my own lane at 175 pounds, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do,’’ Benavidez said at a news conference announcing his light-heavyweight date against ex-champ Oleksandr Gvozdyk on a June 15 card featuring Tank Davis-Frank Martin at the MGM Grand. “I’ve done everything I can at 168 pounds.

“The only thing was a fight for the unified title, but Canelo wouldn’t give me the fight.’’

Throughout the days before opening bell for Canelo-Munguia, there were mixed messages from boxing’s pay-per-view star about whether he might agree to fight Benavidez in September.

Yes?

No?

Let’s just say Canelo is a definite maybe.

But the 27-year-old Benavidez can’t wait around. He’s entering his prime. His body is maturing, which inevitably will force him out of the junior-middleweight division. Saturday, Benavidez, a former two-time 168-pound champion, even mentioned cruiserweight.

There are many in the media who think the Phoenix-born fighter will eventually fight at heavyweight.

“If Canelo was there for us in September, yeah, we’d consider it,’’ Benavidez father and trainer Jose told 15 Rounds after the formal part of the news conference. “We could go back down to 168. But whatever Canelo decides, we’ve got to move forward.’’

Against Gvozdyk, the unbeaten Benavidez has a chance to move into position for a 175-pound title. But even that wasn’t as clear Saturday as it had been a few days ago because of a knee injury suffered by Artur Beterbiev.

Beterbiev was scheduled to fight Dmitry Bivol on June 1 in Saudi Arabia. It’s not clear whether another opponent will be found for Bivol or the date with Beterbiev will be postponed to later in the year.

The plan was for the Benavidez-Gvozdyk winner to fight the Beterbiev-Bivol winner for a unified light-heavy title.

“If I can’t be a unified super-middleweight champ, I want to be unified at light-heavy,’’ Benavidez told 15 Rounds. “I want to create my own legacy.

“I just think that Canelo is leaving a great fight, a historical one, on the table.’’

It’s no surprise that the Tank-Martin part of the newser was contentious. Tank tried to slap Martin. He screamed insults at him. It wouldn’t be Tank without trash talk.

“You ain’t nothing, you’re from the suburbs,’’ Tank said to Martin, born in Detroit and now a resident of Indianapolis

Davis, the reigning lightweight champion and a leading pound-for-pound contender, hasn’t fought in more than 12 months, a stretch that included some time behind bars in Baltimore. His last fight was an April, 2023 stoppage of Ryan Garcia, boxing’s undisputed KingChaos. The Ryan reign has become a controversial circus.

“I’m just happy to be back,’’ said Tank, who was nearly an hour late for the news conference. “I’ve been in jail, been on house arrest.

“Things like that.’’

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS – It was a so-called ceremony, meaning there was no controversy until Ryan Garcia showed up.

Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia made weight early Friday, Canelo at 166.8 pounds and Munguia 167.4, behind closed doors and for the regulators at the official weigh-in.

Hours later, they repeated the performance, this time for a roaring crowd on a pavilion in front of T-Mobile Arena where they’ll finally fight Saturday (Amazon Prime/pay-per-view card/5 pm PT, 8 pm ET). Neither the plot nor the weights changed.

“I feel very good, like I’m in my prime,’’ said Canelo (60-2-2, 34 KOs), the undisputed super-middleweight champion whose readiness has been evident throughout a week that included an edgy confrontation with promoter Oscar De La Hoya.

De La Hoya was there, ceremonial in his presence and also wearing a T-shirt with a message that at least hinted at some controversy.

Eat More Meat, the shirt said.

Clearly, it was a reference to his furnace blast full of insults at Canelo during a news conference Wednesday at the MGM Grand. That’s when De La Hoya reminded Canelo of his positive test for Clenbuterol, a steroid found in Mexican beef, in March 2018.

Canelo responded angrily. He got out of his chair and walked toward De La Hoya with some evident menace in every step. He alleged that De La Hoya wasn’t paying his fighters what they were promised.

The next day, their attorneys exchanged letters. They weren’t menacing. The words belonged on a legal brief instead of a T-shirt. Still, they were just another sign of how wide and deep the divide is between Canelo and De La Hoya, his former promoter.

Lost amid it all: Munguia (43-0, 34 KOs), the 27-year-old challenger from Tijuana who will be fighting at 168 pounds for only the second time.

The Canelo-De La Hoya rancor and Ryan Garcia’s PED controversy has almost turned him into a footnote.

But this footnote promises to upset Canelo, the proud face of Mexican boxing for years.

“Tomorrow, I will be the new world champion,’’ Munguia said after he appeared to nod at Canelo in a gesture of respect at the end of their ritual face-off for the cameras.

By then, the weigh-in was over. But Ryan Garcia was just getting started. He showed up in the crowd of about 3,000 and immediately attracted a crowd of reporters. That’s when he continued to say that his positive test for Ostarine, an anabolic derivative, before his upset of Devin Haney on April 20, was fraudulent.

“I don’t cheat, bro, this is God given,” Garcia said. “Of course, I’ll take (the ‘B’ sample). But who’s to say if they tainted the ‘A’ sample that they won’t taint the ‘B’ sample?

“At the end of the day, this is an inside job.”

At the end of the day, Ryan Garcia has turned the Canelo-Munguia promotion into his own bully pulpit.

He won’t answer an opening bell Saturday. But it’s safe to say he’ll continue to dominate the media.

Jesus Ramos, back after his first loss

Jesus Ramos (20-1, 16 KOs), a promising junior-middleweight from Casa Grande AZ, will fight on the untelevised portion of the card.

He faces Venezuelan Johan Gonzalez (34-2, 33 KOS). The bout is Ramos’ first since his lone loss to Erickson Lubin in a controversial decision in September.

“I learned from my first defeat,’’ Ramos said. “I learned a lot. It was really hard. But I’m hungrier than ever now.’’

By Norm Frauenheim –

LAS VEGAS – Ryan Garcia, self-proclaimed royalty, has been KingRy. Then, KingFly

These days, call him KingChaos.

The chaos, a kingdom seemingly without borders, continued to spread this week amid an explosive report Wednesday that he tested positive for a banned performance-enhancer days before his stunning upset of Devin Haney.

The news, first reported by longtime boxing journalist Dan Rafael, broke within hours after the King’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya got into a profane, edgy exchange with Canelo Alvarez at a newser just a few days before Canelo’s super-middleweight fight against fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia Saturday at T-Mobile Arena.

But the De La Hoya-Canelo confrontation was quickly pushed aside, if not exactly forgotten, by Garcia, who increasingly dominates and disrupts all the oversees.

About twelve hours after the PED story hit amid the usual collection of allegations, denials, conspiracy theories and ominous questions, there was another news conference at the MGM Grand, this time for the Canelo-Munguia undercard. 

The room was full. The undercard fighters were on stage, front and center. But the talk was all about the King’s latest episode.

For now, we only know that, according to a letter from the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), Garcia tested positive for Ostarine, an anabolic derivative twice in the days before opening bell against Haney on April 20 at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

A second banned substance, 19-norandrosterone, was also reported, but still not proven, according to reports. Further tests are planned.

In other words, this story is just developing.

De La Hoya’s company, Golden Boy Promotions, issued a statement:

“Ryan has put out multiple statements denying knowingly using any banned substances—and we believe him. We are working with his team to determine how this finding came to be and will address this further once we conclude that process.”

The New York State Athletic Commission (NYAC) also said it will investigate.

‘The Commission is in communication with VADA and is reviewing the matter,’’ it said in a statement.

Even Canelo — composed instead of angry — peached patience.

“Let’s wait,’’ he said Thursday in an interview along radio row.

Canelo has been there, of course. The Nevada Athletic Commission suspended him for six months in 2018 after he tested positive for clenbuterol, a steroid found in contaminated Mexican beef.

He was branded a cheater then. De La Hoya reminded him of that Wednesday, saying he tested positive twice.

That was wild, but not as wild as the ongoing controversy surrounding Garcia, who said he never cheated and that the story was a fabrication.

“Fake news,’’ Garcia posted, using a well-worn term so often heard from a former President and presumptive nominee for another term, running this time – pundits say – as a wannabe King.

Garcia’s posts were met with some inevitable skepticism by a social media population that only Gallup can count. Garcia followers had watched him produce countless bizarre posts over the weeks since the Haney fight was announced in late February.

To wit: There’s Garcia, apparently posing with a joint. There’s Garcia, posing with an empty bottle of alcohol.

Even on the day before overwhelming Haney, Garcia stepped on the scale for a mock weigh-in after coming in 3.2 pounds above the mandatory 140 at the real weigh-in.

On the scale, he grasped what looked to be a beer bottle. Maybe, it was Pale Ale. Maybe, air. Maybe, apple juice. Whatever was in that bottle, he chugged.

It’s no wonder there’s skepticism on social media. His followers would have been surprised if he had not tested positive for something.

For now, however, only the process can play out. If it proves the PED abuse, then it’s time for the next step. The UK Anti-Doping Agency suspended Amir Kahn for two years after he tested positive for Ostarine after a loss to Kell Brook in March 2018. Khan never fought again.

It’s just one precedent. But, for now, let’s heed Canelo’s wisdom.

Let’s wait.

By Norm Frauenheim –

Ryan Garcia, the actor, chugged like it was last call at a crowded bar before stepping onto a scale at a weigh-in before his dramatic upset of Devin Haney.

It’s not clear what was in the brown bottle. Could have been beer. Could have been air. Garcia later said it was apple juice

By now, of course, we know that Garcia says a lot of things. To wit: He also said he drank, fully fermented and aged, throughout training camp. Only Haney suffered the hangover.

It doesn’t matter. The bottle was a prop. So was the scale.

The weigh-in was a show.

A sham, too.

It was one of those so-called “ceremonial” weigh-ins. It’s not clear how they became ceremonial.

Nothing about a weigh-in resembles a graduation, or a wedding, or an anniversary. Those are holidays, celebrations. But there’s nothing to celebrate in scripted weigh-ins, staged hours after the real thing happens behind closed doors on the morning the day before opening bell the following night.

Increasingly, however, the staged weigh-in is becoming part of the process before major fights.

Early on, it looked as if it was a way for commissions to do their work away from crowds and chaos interfering with regulatory procedure.

The staged version later in the afternoon, open to the public, retained the theatrics, including the face-to-face stare down for the cameras. That sells tickets and pay-per-view. It keeps the promoters, networks and book keepers happy.

More and more, however, the process has been manipulated in ways that rob fans of transparency.

When the morning weigh-ins were first introduced a couple of years ago, media were notified and often able to witness them.

But, now, they’re closed and seldom announced, leaving reporters to get the weights through sources who were there.

Meanwhile, many fans are just discovering that there’s nothing real about what they’re seeing in the afternoon.

There was some surprise among many that the live-streamed weigh-in for Garcia-Haney was fake, perhaps as phony as whatever was in that bottle Garcia brought to the stage.

It was announced that Garcia was 3.2 pounds heavier than the 140 mandatory. In fact, we only know that he was 3.2 too heavy five-to-six hours earlier.

No telling how much heavier he was at the staged weigh-in. Then, he was announced to be at 143.2, give or take a bottle. But that was just part of the show.

It’s fair to say he already had begun to put on pounds. He blew off making weight intentionally. That was part of the game plan.

The World Boxing Council belt didn’t matter. Only the victory did, which might have been worth $50 million for him.

That’s the number Garcia posted on social media this week. He also posted $35 million for Haney. He didn’t provide any proof, 180 or otherwise.

Haney, too, blew up in weight. He always has. But the weight – 10, 15 maybe 20 additional pounds — has always been speculation.

Weight at opening bell for Garcia and Haney for last Saturday’s fight in New York are closely-held secrets and will continue to be.

On any scale, however, it’s dangerous business. A radical overnight loss and gain in weight isn’t exactly a health plan.

Yet, it’s a tactic, a way to augment power, and a rehydrated Garcia had plenty of that in his three-knockdown scorecard victory.

Rehydration is more than a contract clause. Increasingly, It’s a weapon for any fighter in divisions other than heavyweight. A rehydrated fighter is a better fighter. That’s a theory, subject to time and physical differences.  But by how much? Plug in your guesstimate here.

Yet, it clearly worked for Garcia, and it has increasingly become an ominous practice, one that erodes the credibility of victories and creates the potential for dangerous mismatches.

The ceremonial weigh-in, five to six hours after the real one, has only provided more time to rehydrate. It’s an enabler.

From this corner, there’s only one real solution: Go back to weigh-ins on the day of the fight.

That one, however, is not realistic, at least not now. There have been too many years of weigh-ins with all of the trash talk, threats and face-to-face drama. They are a well-rehearsed ritual, as fundamental to the scarred business as a cheap shot.

Now, however, fighters — always in search of an edge — have a few more hours to gain one. Or several.

But there is a way to limit that edge. Eliminate the ceremonial, which Ryan Garcia celebrated with a powerful shot of mockery.

By Mario Ortega Jr.-

OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA – Salvador Briceño takes on comebacking Jonathan Garcia in a six-round welterweight bout to headline the return of professional boxing to the Gold Country Casino Resort on Friday night. The match-up of offensive-minded veterans will cap a six-bout card. Fighters weighed-in Thursday afternoon at the host venue. 

Briceño (18-7-1, 11 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and representing the Jose Morales Boxing Academy in Roseville, California is fresh off an eight-round unanimous decision over veteran Cameron Krael on March 16th and with a win Friday, hopes to keep a busy pace the rest of the year. 

“The plan Jose and I have is to win five or six more fights and then find the bigger fights,” Briceño explained. “We are taking it slow, making the right decisions for my career.”

Garcia (20-2, 16 KOs) of Watsonville, California will look to shake-off the second longest inactive period of his pro career with a tough assignment in Briceño. Garcia, looking to derail his opponent’s plans, went 5-1 entirely in Mexico after ending his last layoff of over four years in 2019. 

Garcia was known as a fan-friendly fighter during his rise in the Southern California boxing scene early in his career. Briceño is not often outworked in the ring, so the bout with Garcia figures to be entertaining as long as it lasts. Both fighters came in at 144-pounds on Thursday afternoon. 

In a lightweight fight that promises action, Christian Avalos (1-1-2) of Carson City, Nevada will take on Pedro Angel Cruz (3-4, 2 KOs) of San Jose, California over a scheduled six rounds. 

Avalos and Cruz are no stranger to fans that attended last May’s event at the Gold Country Casino Resort. On that night, Avalos engaged in a four-round war with Mark Salgado that ended in a draw. On that same May card, Cruz pounded out a four-round unanimous decision over tough David Reyes.

Avalos and Cruz were the last fighters to weigh-in Thursday. Avalos weighed-in one-half pound under the contracted weight at 134.5. Cruz, having attempted to sweat down to the contracted 135-pounds, came up short and scaled 136. The extra pound will cost Cruz, but the fight is on. 

Ebert Diaz (1-0-1, 1 KO) of Richmond, California will return to the Gold Country Casino Resort to take on Clayton Hibbert (0-2) of Los Angeles, California in a four-round light welterweight bout. Diaz and Hibbert both made 142-pounds. 

In a middleweight rematch, Marco Ortiz (0-2) of Red Bluff, California gets a second crack Matthew Monroe (1-2) of Sacramento, California. Monroe scored a four-round decision over Ortiz last November. Monroe made 165-pounds, while Ortiz scaled 168.5. When they met the first time, Monroe, at 176-pounds, was four pounds heavier than Ortiz.

Two fighters with mixed martial arts backgrounds will throw hands in a four-round welterweight bout when Scott Hayward of Redding, California makes his professional boxing debut against Miguel Soto-Garcia (0-2) of Fresno, California by way of Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. Soto-Garcia came in heavy at 148.5 to Hayward’s 145.5-pounds. 

Maribel Guerrero (0-1) of Gilroy will take on Iris Contreras (3-0) of Richmond in a four-round bantamweight bout. Guerrero, cousin of Robert Guerrero and trained by her uncle Ruben Guerrero Sr., weighed-in at 117-pounds. Contreras, trained by her father Filemon Contreras, scaled 116.5-pounds. 

Quick Weigh-in Results:

Welterweights, 6 rounds

Briceño 144

Garcia 144

Lightweights, 6 Rounds

Avalos 134.5

Cruz 136

Super middleweights, 4 Rounds

Monroe 165

Ortiz 168.5

Light welterweights, 4 Rounds

Diaz 142

Hibbert 142

Welterweights, 4 Rounds

Hayward 145.5

Soto-Garcia 148.5

Bantamweights, 4 Rounds

Guerrero 117

Contreras 116.5

Tickets for the event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions and Fisticuffs Productions, are available online at uppercutpro.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com 

By Mario Ortega Jr. –

Veteran junior welterweight Salvador Briceño fights for the second consecutive calendar month when he takes on Jonathan Garcia this Friday night at the Gold Country Casino Resort in Oroville, California in a six-round bout at 147-pounds. The active schedule is all part of the plan Briceño and team have to get the California transplant ready for bigger fights in the near future. 

Briceño (18-7-1, 11 KOs) of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico and fighting out of the Jose Morales Boxing Academy in Roseville, California comes into Friday night fresh off of an eight-round unanimous decision over 56-fight workhorse Cameron Krael just six weeks ago. 

The March bout against Krael marked Briceño’s second working with Morales as his trainer. The first was a draw against Southern California-based Louie Lopez in November. 

“The last two fights weren’t easy either,” explains Morales. “We went to L.A. and went to his opponent’s hometown as the B-side and got a draw. It was really a win, but they weren’t going to give us that. Same thing last fight, we fought a tough, veteran guy with over 50 fights and won unanimously.”

Briceño found his way to his new team, led by Jose Morales, after attempting to navigate the difficult pro boxing landscape largely on his own to mixed results.  

“I originally came from Mexico to pursue fighting in the States,” recalls Briceño. “When I originally moved here, I was training at a gym in Woodland, and I came to [the Jose Morales Boxing Academy in Roseville] to spar Ruben Torres. I met Jose then and eventually decided to switch gyms and work with Jose instead.”

Prior to hooking up with Morales, Briceño had come up short in pandemic era bouts against well regarded prospect Lindolfo Delgado and contender Josue Vargas. Despite traveling to Vegas alone, without a corner, Briceño acquitted himself well enough to last the distance against both of his favored opponents.  

“The plan is to have rematches with them,” says Briceño. “When I was fighting them, my team did not go with me to the fights and I also took those fights on very short notice. It was difficult because my team wasn’t there in my corner.”

After the Delgado fight, Briceño stepped away for two years, which led him to seek fights seven pounds north at welterweight for the time being. That trend continues Friday when he takes on Garcia. 

“I’ve only had two fights at welterweight, but I’ve felt strong,” explains Briceño. “The plan is to go [back down] to 140-pounds. I had taken a year off from fighting and had gained weight, so I am fighting at welterweight for now.”

Garcia (20-2, 16 KOs) of Watsonville, California finds himself in a position similar to where Briceño was before returning to the ring last November. Garcia, with a new team behind him, will be ending a two-and-a-half year layoff Friday. 

“We look forward to the challenge,” exclaims Morales. “He has a good record and he’s coming off of a layoff, so I know he is probably hungry and determined to make a statement. We are excited for the challenge and the opportunity to showcase our skills against a tough opponent and put on a good show for everybody.”

In preparation for Friday’s contest Briceño has logged rounds with Sacramento’s rising contender Cain Sandoval, highly-touted Stockton prospect Sachery Sam and rugged veteran Jose Gomez, among others. 

“He’s definitely in shape and ready to go,” reports Gomez. “We sparred eight strong rounds. He just keeps coming and holds a good pop to his punches when he sits down on them. Overall he’s a great friend and very humble guy.”

Should everything go according to plan in Oroville, Briceño will return to the ring in July in Stockton, with his friend and sparring partner Jose Gomez a possible option for the bout. 

“The goal is to try to keep him as busy as possible against good opponents and get traction going into the next year when we will start to look for bigger opportunities,” explains Morales. “He’s got the skill, he’s got the work ethic and now he’s got the team behind him. He’s creating a fanbase and I think he’s trending in the right direction.”

“I feel good, better than ever before,” proclaims Briceño. “I am ready to fight. I am confident in the work I have put in. My fans who come out are going to see a good fight. We are going to fight in the front, and with my experience, we are hoping to put on a good show and win by a knockout. Don’t miss out on these fights.” 

Tickets for Friday’s event, promoted by Upper Cut Promotions and Fisticuffs Productions, are available online at uppercutpro.com 

Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com